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**S3 


Wheelock  College  Library 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


OF   THE 


Paradise  of  Childhood 


A   PRACTICAL  GUIDE  TO   KINDERGARTNERS, 


KDWARD    WIEBE. 


EDITED     BY    MILTON     BRADLEY. 


INCLUDING   A 


LIFE   OF   FRIEDRICH    FROEBEL, 


by 


HENRY    W.     BLAKE,    A.  XL. 


PROFUSELY     ILLUSTRATED, 


SPRINGFIELD,    MASS.: 

MILTON     BRADLEY    COMPANY 

1896. 


Stack  Collection 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  )-ear  1896, 

BY 

Milton    Bradley   Company, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 

All  rights    reserved. 


Registered  at   Stationers'    Hall,    London,    England. 
All   rights    reserved. 


Entered   according  to  Act  of  Congress,   in  the  year    [869, 
BY 

Milton    Bradley   &   Company, 
In  the   Clerk's  (  H'fice  of  the   District   Court   of  the   District  of   Massachusetts. 


■ 


Contents. 


Editor's  Preface,     . 
[introduction  to  the  Life  of  Froebel, 
Map  of  Central  Germany, 
The  Life  of  Froebel,    . 

In  His  Father's  House. 
With  His  Guardian, 
The  Forester's  Apprentice. 
A  Student  at  Jena, 
Becomes  a  Teacher, 
Relations  with  Pestalozzi, 
Final  University  Studies, 
A  Soldier  of  the  Legion. 
(  urator  a1  Berlin, 
Principal    at  Keilhau, 
In  Switzerland, 
Blankenburg, 

Wanderings  About  Germany, 
Marienthal, 
Since  Froebel' s  Death, 
The  Paradise  op  Childhood, 
Author's  Preface, 
Kindergarten  Culture, 
Establishment  of  a  Kindergarten, 
Means  and  Ways  of  Occupation, 

The  First  Gift,     .... 

Editor's  Notes:  General  Impression — Color-  -Form  —  Mot 
The  Second  Gift, 

Editor's  Notes  :  The  Sphere-  The  <  !ub< — Tin 
The  Third  Gift,  . 

The    Presentation  of  the  Third  Gift— Pi 
Form-  of  Life — Forms  of  Knowledge—  Form 

The  Fourth   <  lift 

Preparation  for  Constructing  Forms  Forms  of  Lifi — For 
Formsof  Beauty  Editor's  Notes:  Furniture  Sequence 
House  Building  and  Furnishing  Sequence. 


Cvlin 


t  ion 

j  of  1 


ir  <  '< 
i  hi  \ 


istru 
Ed 


ins  <>l 
Bab 


ting  Forms 
or's  Notes. 

Knowledge 
i-   Sequence 


Pagi  . 
5 

9 
L2 

l;;  -63 
L3 
17 
19 
21 
23 
26 
28 
29 
31 
33 
38 
•in 
42 
46 
,") .") 

65-274 

67 
69 

i  i 

78 

79-85 

86-93 

!    L06 


K>7    lis 


4  CONTENTS. 

The  Fifth  Gift, 119-135 

Cube,  Twice  Divided   in  Each  Direction — Forms  of   Life — Forms  of   Knowl- 
edge— Forms  of  Beauty.    Editor's  Notes  :  First  Sequence — Second  Sequence — 
Third  Sequence. 

The  Fifth  Gift  B, 136-138 

Forms  of  Life — Forms  of  Symmetry. 

The  Sixth  Gift, 139-148 

Large  Cube,  Consisting  of  Double  Divided  Oblong  Blocks — Forms  of  Life — 
Forms  of  Knowledge — Forms  of  Beauty.  Editor's  Notes :  A  Life  Sequence — 
A  Beauty  Sequence. 

The  Seventh  Gift, 149-168 

Square  and  Triangular  Tablets  for  Laying  of  Figures — The  Quadrangular  Lay- 
ing Tablets  (Squares).  Right- Angled  Triangles — Forms  of  Life — Forms  of 
Knowledge — Forms  of  Beauty.  The  Equilateral  Triangle — Forms  of  Knowl- 
edge— Forms  of  Beauty.  The  Obtuse-Angled  Triangle  with  Two  Sides  Alike — 
The  Light-Angled  Triangle  with  No  Equal  Sides.     Editor's  Notes. 

The  Eighth  Gift, ir,<.i-176 

Sticks  for  Laying  of  Figures.     Editor's  Notes. 

The  Ninth  (lift 177-1*2 

Whole  and  Half  Lings  for  Laying  Figure-.      Editor's  Notes. 

The  Tenth  Gift, 183-211 

Material  for  Drawing — The  Vertical  Line — The  Horizontal  Line — Combina- 
tion of  Vertical  and  Horizontal  Line- — Oblique  Lines — The  Curved  Line. 
Editor's  Notes. 

The  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Gifts, 212-224 

Material  for  Perforating  and  Embroidering.  Editor's  Notes:  Elementary  Color 
Teaching. 

The  Thirteenth  Gift -'  225-234 

Material  for  Cutting  Papers  and  Mounting  Pieces  to  Produce  Figures  and 
Forms — Mounting  the  Figures.     Editor'-  Notes. 

The  Fourteenth  Gift 235-241 

Material  for  Braiding  or  Weaving.     Editor'-  Note-. 

The  Fifteenth  (lift, 242-246 

The  Interlacing  Slat-. 

The  Sixteenth  Gift, 247-253 

The  Slat  with  Many  Link-. 

The  Seventeenth  Gift, 254-25(5 

Material  for  Intertwining.     Editor's  Notes. 

The  Eighteenth  Gift, 257-263 

Material  for  Paper  Folding.      Editor's  Notes. 

The  Nineteenth  Gift 264-267 

Material  for  Peas-Work.     Editor's  Notes. 
The  Twentieth  Gift, 268-274 

Material  for  Modeling.     Editor's  Notes.    The  Kindergarten  Games. 


EDITORS  PREFACE. 

— ■♦—  - 

In  the  year  1868  the  editor  of  the  present  edition  was  persuaded  to  publish  "The  Para- 
dise of  Childhood,"  by  one  of  his  neighbors,  Mr.  Edward  Wiebe,  and  also  to  begin  the  man- 
ufaeture  of  kindergarten  material  for  use  in  America.  Mr.  Weibe,  who  came  to  Springfield  a 
few  years  prior  to  that  time,  was  a  very  intelligent  and  well  educated  man  and  was  then  en- 
gaged in  teaching  music,  but  had  gained  a  knowledge  of  the  kindergarten  system  through  his 
association  with  the  widow  of  Froebel  before  leaving  Germany.  He  was  anxious  to  introduce 
it  in  this  country,  and  as  soon  as  he  became  acquainted  with  the  editor,  who  was  at  the  head 
of  a  factory  for  making  children's  games  and  home  amusements,  began  to  urge  his  co-opera- 
tion, both  from  an  educational  and  a  commercial  standpoint.  The  editor  knew  nothing 
about  the  kindergarten  and  did  not  take  any  interest  in  it  so  long  as  Mr.  Wiebe  was  its  only 
advocate.  Not  many  months  later,  however,  he  attended  an  exposition  of  kindergarten  prin- 
ciples and  aims  by  Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Peabody,  who  had  recently  returned  from  a  careful  study 
of  them  in  Germany  and  undertaken  to  convert  America  to  the  cause.  To  that  single  even- 
ing talk,  given  in  a  school-house  near  his  home,  the  editor  attributes  whatever  he  has  done  in 
the  name  of  the  kindergarten  during  the  last  twenty-five  years,  and  as  an  immediate  result  he 
yielded  to  Mr.  Wiebe's  entreaties  to  publish  the  manuscript  of  "The  Paradise  of  Childhood," 
which  had   been  prepared   for  a  long  time,  and  also  began  making  the  kindergarten  material. 

In  those  days  all  the  kindergarten  literature  that  had  been  published  in  this  country  was 
confined  to  a  few  newspaper  and  magazine  articles.  The  first  edition  of  "The  Paradise  of 
Childhood"  contained  what  is  here  inserted  as  the  Author's  Preface,  but  was  then  called  the  in- 
troduction, a  few  preliminary  explanations  about  establishing  a  kindergarten  and  the  author's 
text  on  the  twenty  gifts  and  occupations.  The  illustrations  were  reprints  from  "  Goldam- 
mer's  Kindergarten,"     being  lithographed  on  separate  plates,  in  the  back  part  of  the  book. 

In  subsequent  editions  the  paper  entitled  "Kindergarten  Culture,"  was  added,  and  in  1878 
the  plates  of  "The  Paradise  of  Childhood  "  were  prefaced  with  a  brief  text  and  published  in 
separate  form  as  "  A  Haud-Book  for  the  Kindergarten,"  the  contents  of  which  were  after- 
wards incorporated  with  the  "Paradise"  during  many  editions.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century 
this  work  has  been  accepted  as  the  only  single  book  furnishing  in  brief  an  outline  of  both 
the  theory  and  practice  of  the  kindergarten.  In  1876  it  received  honorable  mention  at  the. 
Philadelphia  Centennial  Exhibition  as  being  the  first  illustrated  guide  to  the  kindergarten  ever 
published  in  the  English  language. 

At  the  end  of  twenty-five  years  the  editor  felt  that  the  time  had  come  to  prepare  an  edition 
of  the  book  which  should  in  some  respects  differ  radically  from  any  yet  published.  It  was, 
therefore,  resolved  to  print  again  Mr.  Wiebe's  original  text,  with  the  paper  on  "Kindergarten 
Culture"  as  an  introduction,  putting  the  illustrations  in  the  body  of  the  book,  instead  of  group- 
ing them  at  the  end,  and  adding  such  notes  as  the  kindergarten  knowledge  of  to-day  would 
naturally  approve.  These  notes  include  some  suggestions  regarding  the  use  of  color  in  the 
kindergarten,  a  matter  to  which  the  editor  has  given  much  special  study,  and  a  brief  paper  at 
the  end  of  the  book  about  the  games.      As  a  proper  prelude  to  the  study  of  the  kindergarten 


(J  EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

system  a  Life  of  Froebel  has  been  made  a  part  of  this  hook,  with  a  concluding  chapter 
ahout  the  movement  since  his  death,  which  will,  it  is  hoped,  prove  helpful  to  such  students  as 
have  not  had  the  benefit  of  other  biographical  works  relating  to  the  founder  of  the  kinder- 
garten. This  life  is  illustrated  with  pictures  taken  in  Germany  for  that  purpose  and  also  a 
map  of  the  section  where  Froebel  lived  and  labored.  The  editor  is.  of  course,  aware  that  some 
leading  kindergarten  training  teachers  object  to  the  use  of  all  '"guide  books"  by  either  the  pu- 
pils or  teachers  of  the  system.  He  believes,  however,  that  they  still  have  their  place  in  the 
educational  world,  although  they  may  not  be  as  essential  as  they  were  twenty-five  years  ago. 
When  the  first  edition  of  "  Paradise"  was  published,  argument  was  in  order  to  convince  the 
public  not  only  that  the  kindergarten  was  necessary  but  that  it  was  possible.  It  now  is 
usually  acknowledged  to  be  a  good  thing,  but  it  is  thought  by  some  of  those  who  manage  the 
affairs  of  nations,  states,  cities  and  school  districts,  to  be  too  expensive.  Doubtless  good 
things  are  usually  more  costly  than  those  which  are  inferior,  but  it  is  not  by  any  means  cer- 
tain that  they  are  always  most  expensive  in  the  long  run,  either  to  individuals  or  communities. 
The  experimental  stages  of  the  kindergarten  are  now  passed  so  far  as  the  proof  is  necessary 
to  determine  the  value  to  the  world  of  the  general  truths  first  set  forth  by  Froebel.  It 
now  remains  for  the  friends  of  the  work  to  devise  the  best  means  for  fully  carrying  those 
principles  to  the  masses.  They  must  put  forth  every  effort  to  rightly  direct  those  who  are  to 
determine  the  nature  of  the  education  which  is  to  be  provided  for  the  children  of  the 
coming  generation. 

While  it  is  readily  admitted  that  no  single  book  nor  even  a  library  can  furnish  the  instruc- 
tion necessary  to  equip  a  kindergartner  in  the  best  sense,  and  that  only  personal  contact  with 
experienced  kindergartners  and  practical  experience  with  children  can  make  a  kindergartner, 
it  is  still  maintained  that  there  is  a  demand  for  the  publication  of  a  fairly  full  but  concise 
statement  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  the  system  of  education  which  was  evolved  by  the 
labors  of  Froebel,  for  the  benefit  of  a  large  class  in  the  community.  For  instance,  those  pri- 
mary teachers  who  are  to  receive  pupils  from  the  kindergarten  should  have  instruction  in  the 
details  of  the  kindergarten  system  sufficient  at  least  to  enable  them  to  go  on  with  the  instruc- 
tion in  such  lines  as  to  connect  logically  with  the  education  already  received.  For  this 
purpose  there  must  come  a  connecting  school  between  the  kindergarten  system  and  the  primary 
school  in  which  the  teacher  shall  be  fully  informed  as  to  the  kindergarten  course  from  which 
the  child  has  graduated,  and  hence  able  to  gradually  and  without  friction  induct  him  into  the 
school  system.  If  a  child  of  average  ability  spends  the  years  from  four  to  six  in  a  kinder- 
garten, and  then  one  year  in  a  connecting  school,  he  should  afterwards  require  practically  no 
more  of  the  concrete  than  is  always  necessary  in  all  education  which  relates  to  the  more  prac- 
tical matters  of  life.  It  is  evident  that  in  all  scientific  and  mathematical  education  the  concrete 
illustrations  must  be  continued  in  the  form  of  experiments,  and  the  kindergarten  education 
enables  the  pupil  to  make  the  best  use  of  them  as  they  are  required,  but  under  the  condi- 
tions named  all  the  counting  of  blocks,  folding  of  papers,  cutting  and  [tasting  of  mathematical 
and  artistic  forms  will  have  merely  prepared  the  way  for  clear  mathematical  thinking  and 
artistic  designing  and  drawing.  Under  such  a  condition  of  things  each  primary  school  teacher 
should  at  least  have  as  much  familiarity  with  the  kindergarten  methods  as  can  be  gained 
by  a  very  careful  study  of  this  book,  and  such  knowledge  is  fully  as  desirable  on  the  part  of 
every  mother  with  young  children. 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE.  7 

At  this  point  the  editor  desires  a  word  of  explanation  regarding  the  paper  which  has  so 
long  been  published  under  the  name  of  "Kindergarten  Culture."  This  resume  of  the  kinder- 
garten system  was  originally  prepared  by  Mr.  Wiebe  to  be  used  as  an  address  before  some 
educational  meetings  in  this  country  previous  to  the  publication  of  "  The  Paradise  of  Child- 
hood," and  was  at  a  much  later  date  first  printed  as  a  pamphlet  for  advancing  the  kinder- 
garten cause  in  America,  with  the  title  "  Kindergarten  Culture,"  and  still  later,  long  after 
Mr.  Wiebe  had  left  this  country,  was  made  a  part  of  "The  Paradise  of  Childhood,"  without 
any  knowledge  by  the  publishers  of  the  source  from  which  it  was  originally  prepared,  or  any 
assertion  by  Mr.  Wiebe  that  it  was  or  was  not  original.  Since  its  publication  in  connection 
with'*  The  Paradise  of  Childhood."  it  has  been  criticised  as  being  a  translation  of  an  article 
by  Baroness  von  Marenholtz-Bulow,  with  the  added  inference  that  in  presenting  "  The  Para- 
dise of  Childhood"  to  the  American  public.  Mr.  Wiebe  was  guilty  of  plagarism  or  deceit.  In 
the  light  of  subsequent  research  "  Kindergarten  Culture"  proves  to  have  been  a  paraphrase 
or  a  very  free  translation  of  an  article  written  by  the  Baroness  but  which  had  never  at  that 
time  been  translated  into  English. 

When  the  work  on  this  new  edition  was  begun  the  hope  was  entertained  that  it  might  be 
completed  within  twenty-live  years  of  the  first  appearance  of  the  book,  but  certain  unavoidable 
delays  have  made  the  task  a  longer  one  than  was  at  first  anticipated.  Doubtless  some  critics 
will  feel  that  in  the  attempt  to  remodel  the  book  too  much  has  been  done,  while  others  will 
regret  that  too  little  is  undertaken.  The  editor  can  but  hope,  however,  that  this  edition,  taken 
as  a  whole,  will  prove  a  help  to  many  earnest  students  of  Froebel  and  the  kindergarten  system. 
In  conclusion  he  desires  to  return  sincere  thanks  to  all  his  co-laborers  in  the  kindergarten 
held  who  by  counsel  and  suggestions  have  done  so  much  to  help  him  in  his  work. 

Springfield,  Muss..  January  7.  1896. 


Wheelock  College  Library 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  LIFE  OF  FROEBEL. 


One  of  the  principal  objects  of  studying  any 

subject  is  to  gain  the  power  of  thinking  ana- 
lytically about  it.  To  do  this  it  may  be  nec- 
essary to  acquire  many  facts  pertaining  to  that 
subject,  but  after  all  this  preliminary  work 
has  been  done  the  knowledge  of  those  facts 
will  ] trove  of  but  comparatively  little  conse- 
quence unless  we  understand  and  appreciate 
their  co-relation.  Consequently  the  argument 
for  a  careful  study  of  FvoebeFs  life  as  essen- 
tial to  the  understanding  of  the  kindergarten 
system,  both  in  its  theory  and  practice,  is 
based  on  the  broad  proposition  that  whoever 
aspires  to  understand  any  system  of  philoso- 
phy, ethics  or  education  must  be  able  to 
think  analytically  about  it.  While  all  earnest 
students  of  Froebel's  system  realize  the  more 
thoroughly  they  pursue  it  that  they  have  a 
life  work  in  hand,  there  are  unquestionably 
certain  methods  of  study  that  will  become 
especially  helpful  when  applied  to  this  subject, 
just  as  there  are  in  all  lines  of  mental  inves- 
tigation. And  now  we  come  to  the  general 
principle  that  one  cannot  understand  the 
philosophy  of  any  man  Avho  is  really  great 
without  becoming  familiar  with  his  career, 
with  the  procession  of  events  which,  taken 
together,  have  made  up  his  life. 

The  author  once  had  the  pleasure  of  listening 
to  an  address  by  a  distinguished  judge  regard- 
ing the  aims  and  methods  of  Bible  study  in 
which  he  maintained  that  primary  investigation 
of  historical  facts  is  essential  to  the  successful 
comprehension  of  any  principles,  doctrines,  or 
theories  which  pertain  to  those  facts.  If  we 
wish  to  put  ourselves  in  touch  with  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ  so  that  they  shall  become  a  lamp 
to  our  feet  and  a  guide  to  our  path,  we  must 
make  ourselves  familiar  with  His  life, so  that, 
as  far  as  is  possible,  we  may  live  as  He  lived, 
and  feel  as  He  felt.  And  the  same  may  be  said 
of  other  great  men  for  whom  no  claim  of  di- 
vinity has  ever  been  made,  but  who  have  been 
pioneers  in  the  fields  of  spiritual,  mental  or 
material  activity. 


It  would  seem,  however,  that  this  principle 
of  facts  before  theories  has  not  been  the  prev- 
alent one  on  the  part  of  students  and  teachers. 
The  judge  just  quoted  admitted  that  it  took 
him  many  years  in  his  private  study  of  the 
Bible  to  discover  that  this  method  is  the  nat- 
ural one,  and  there  is  reason  to  fear  that  the 
average  teacher  is  very  apt  to  give  his  pupils 
principles  and  theories  without  being  careful 
to  present  to  them  the  biographical  facts  which 
so  often  lie  behind  those  principles  and  theo- 
ries. In  other  words,  we  are  encouraged  and 
compelled  to  read  Caesar's  commentaries,  re- 
gardless of  our  previous  acquaintance  with 
Caesar.  Coming  to  the  particular  application 
of  the  argument,  are  we  not  forced  to  admit 
that  the  accurate  acquaintance  with  the  events 
of  FrcebePs  life  among  students  of  the  kinder- 
garten system  has  been  left  somewhat  to  acci- 
dent, such  study  being  taken  up  at  any  time  in 
the  course  when  it  was  most  convenient  for 
the  teacher,  and  not  always  with  the  system- 
atic application  which  alone  insures  the  best 
results  ? 

Friedrich  Froebel  lived  a  peculiar  life  and 
inaugurated  u  peculiar  educational  system,  and 
it  is  pre-eminently  true  that  we  must  study 
that  life  in  order  to  comprehend  that  system, 
to  say  nothing  of  acquiring  the  ability  to  teach 
it.  If  we  admit  the  truth  of  this  statement, 
it  follows  that  the  study  of  Froebel's  life  should 
begin  at  the  opening  of  the  kindergarten 
course. 

If  we  are  to  undertake  such  study,  the 
question  arises,  Into  what  periods  does  the 
life  of  Froebel  naturally  divide  itself?  Speak- 
ing in  a  general  way,  the  answer  is  :  Into  three 
periods,  Froebel  as  a  Student,  as  a  Teacher, 
as  a  Kindergartner.  Of  course  these  periods 
overlap  each  other  in  various  ways.  He  was 
always  a  student,  from  the  earliest  hours  of 
his  conscious  existence  in  the  lonely  parson- 
age of  Oberweisbach  to  his  dying  (lays  at 
Marienthal.  He  became  a  teacher  long  before 
his  professional  studies  ended  and  continued 


10 


(QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


teaching  till  his  latesl  breath.  The  germ  of 
the  kindergarten  idea  came  to  him  with  the 
prattling  speech  of  babyhood  and  to  perfect  it 
was  the  loving  labor  of  the  rest  of  his  days. 
But  for  purposes  of  classification  we  may  re- 
gard him  as  a  student  from  his  birth  in  1782 
to  1816;  a  teacher  from  1816  to  1837;  and  a 
kindergartner  from  1837  to  1852, a  span  which 
completes  the  seventy  years  of  his  life. 

If  the  division  named  above  is  correct  it 
gives  ns  our  point  of  view  from  which  to  study 
Froebel.  We  are  to  consider  him  as  a  stu- 
dent, as  a  teacher,  as  a  kindergartner.  We 
are  to  ask  ourselves  what  his  life  in  these  dif- 
ferent capacities  contributed  to  the  kindergar- 
ten, and  the  object  of  such  an  investigation  is 
not  to  satisfy  idle  curiosity,  but  to  put  our- 
selves in  a  position  where  we  can  understand 
his  educational  system,  otherwise  we  cannot 
make  any  just  claim  to  comprehending  it. 

In  compiling  this  work  the  author  has  con- 
sulted the  common  authorities  within  reach  of 
the  American  student  and  also  some  that  art' 
out  of  the  usual  course.  The  translation  of 
Froebel's  autobiographical  letterto  the  Duke  of 
Meiningen  by  Miss  Lucy  Wheelock  of  Boston, 
as  published  iu  Dr.  Barnard's  "Kindergarten 
and  Child  Culture  Papers."  has  been  relied  on 
to  furnish  the  thread  of  the  narrative  from 
1  7.S2  till  1815.  The  other  translation  of  this 
letter  by  Emilie  Michaelis  and  II.  Keatley 
Moore,  which  forms  a  part  of  their  "Autobio- 
graphy of  Friedrich  Froebel,"  published  by  C. 
W.  Bardeen  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  has  been 
found  valuable  in  throwing  light  on  this  same 
period,  particularly  through  the  foot  notes. 
This  book  also  contains  a  long  extract  from 
another  letter  of  Froebel,  written  to  Friedrich 
Krause,  the  eminent  philosopher,  which  is  a 
review  of  his  life  from  infancy  down  to  the  year 
1828,  so  that  by  consulting  these  two  letters  we 
get  an  account  in  Froebel's  own  words  of  his 
career  for  forty-six  years,  or  nearly  till  the 
time  when  he  relinquished  his  principalship  at 
Keilhau. 

For  what  happened  in  Switzerland  we  are 
dependent  on  Barop's  article  on  "Critical  Mo- 
ments in  the  Life  of  Froebel,"  a  different  trans- 
lation of  which  appears  in  each  of  the  books  al- 
ready named.  Then  for  the  intervening  pe- 
riod between  the  establishment  of  the  first 
kindergarten  at  Blankenburg  and  the  residence 
at  Liebenstein  we  depend  largely  on  "Froebel's 


Letters,"  edited  by  Arnold  II.  Heinemann  and 
published  by  Lee  &  Shepard  of  Boston,  and 
k  'The  Story  of  My  Life"  by  Georg  Ebers.  trans- 
lated by  Mary  .1.  Safford  and  published  by  D. 
Appleton  &  Co.  of  New  York.  These  books 
do  not  give  the  coutinuous  stoiy  of  Froebel's 
wanderings  and  the  gradual  development  of 
the  one  idea  of  his  life  from  1837  to  1S4'.»,  but 
they  do  contain  suggestions  and  pen-picturts 
by  which  it  is  possible  to  piece  out  the  narra- 
tive so  that  it  can  be  readily  understood  and 
appreciated. 

There  are  other  articles  to  be  considered, 
most  of  them  being  translations  from  Dr. 
Wichard  Lange's  "For  the  Understanding  of 
Froebel,"  reproduced  in  the  Barnard  book. 
From  1.S49  to  the  time  of  Froebel's  death  the 
world  for  the  most  part  relies  on  "  Reminis- 
cences of  Friedrich  Froebel"  by  Baroness  Von 
Marenholtz-Bulow,  translated  by  Mrs.  Horace 
Mann  and  published  by  Lee  &  Shepard,  Bos- 
ton. A  little  pamphlet  "  Reminiscences  of 
Friedrich  Froebel,"  by  Frau  Froebel,  published 
by  the  Chicago  Kindergarten  College,  is  also 
very  helpful  in  supplementing  the  account  of  the 
Baroness,  and  for  an  account  of  the  last  days  of 
the  great  apostle  of  the  new  education  we  are 
indebted  to  the  translation  of  a  pamphlet  pub- 
lished by  Middendorf  immediately  after  the 
death  of  his  friend.  "Froebel  and  Education  by 
Self- Activity,"  by  II.  C.  Bowen,  published  by 
Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York,  adds  some- 
what to  the  story,  and  so  does  "Friedrich  Froe- 
bel, How  He  Became  an  Educator,"  by  Frau 
Elsie  Yon  Calcar.  This  book  was  originally 
written  in  Dutch  and  then  translated  into  Ger- 
man, although  no  English  translation  has  ever 
been  published.  In  compiling  the  concluding 
pages  regarding  the  progress  of  the  kindergar- 
ten movement  since  Froebel's  death  the  author 
is  indebted  to  "The  Pratt  Institute  Monthly," 
"The  Kindergarten  News"  and  "The  Kinder- 
garten Magazine"  for  data.  To  all  authors  and 
publishers  who  have  helped  him  in  any  way  he 
desires  to  make  grateful  acknowledgement. 

The  pictures  illustrating  the  narrative  were 
made  expressly  for  this  book.  The  portrait  of 
Froebel  is  copied  from  a  picture  taken  from 
the  oil  painting  which  hangs  in  the  school- 
house  at  Oberweisbach  by  II.  Enders,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Ro3Tal  Academy  at  Dresden,  who 
painted  it  from  an  engraving  on  steel.  The 
copy  of  the  portrait  is  known   as  the   "jubilee 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


11 


picture,"  having  been  selected  by  a  committee 
of  gentlemen  appointed  to  choose  a  picture  to 
be  published  at  the  time  of  the  celebration  of 
Frcebel's  one  hundredth  birthday,  in  1882.  It 
is  regarded  as  an  excellent  likeness  by  those 
people  in  Germany  most  competent  to  judge. 
The  picture  of  Frcebel's  birthplace,  of  the  vil- 
lage as  seen  from  the  top  of  the  Memorial 
Tower,  in  which  the  church  is  such  a  promi- 
nent feature,  and  the  view  of  the  tower  itself 
were  taken  by  special  representatives  of  the 
publishers  of  this  book  for  reproduction  here, 
and  they  give  a  clear  and  adequate  idea  of  the 
surroundings  of  his  early  days. 

The  pictures  of  the  house  at  Marienthal, 
where  Froebel  died,  of  the  monument  in  the  lit- 
tle wood  adjoining  that  house  and  of  the  tomb- 
stone over  the  grave  at  Schweina  were  also 
taken  for  exclusive  use  here.  In  regard  to 
the  tombstone  picture  it  is  proper  to  say  that 
because  the  photographs  and  woodcuts  which 
have  previously  been  brought  from  Europe  by 
kindergartners  and  other  tourists  have  shown 
such  unmistakable  proofs  that  they  were  made 
from  drawings,  and  not  from  the  tombstone  and 
its  natural  surroundings,  the  publishers  for- 
warded one  of  them  to  their  agent  in  Germany 
with  an  inquiry  about  its  authenticity.  As  a  re- 
sult the  picture  was  returned  without  comment, 
except  the  word  "fantasm,"  penciled  on  the 
back.  Concerning  the  picture  here  presented  it 
is  proper  to  say  that  owing  to  the  crowded  con- 
dition of  the  burying  ground  a  photograph  of 
the  monument  which  is  entirely  satisfactory 
cannot  be  secured,  and  that  in  this  direct  front 
view  the  symbolical  cylinder  and  cube  neces- 
sarity  appear  like  one  shaft  or  two  similar  forms 
of  the  same  size.  This  picture  is  doubtless  as 
good  as  could  be  secured  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  bears  evidence  that  it  is  from  an 
original  photograph   and    not   the  copy   of  an 


imaginative  drawing.  The  portrait  of  Frau 
Froebel  is  from  a  photograph  taken  about  a 
dozen  years  ago,  while  she  was  still  in  active 
service  as  a  training  teacher  at  Hamburg.  It 
was  presented  to  Miss  Louise  M.  Steinweg, 
now  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  when  she  graduated 
from  the  training  class,  and  was  loaned  by  her 
to  the  publishers.  The  map  used  to  illustrate 
the  theater  of  Frcebel's  life  has  been  redrawn 
to  fit  the  limits  of  this  book  from  German 
maps,  which  can  lie  relied  on  for  their  accuracy. 

So  far  as  the  author  is  aware  this  is  the 
first  biography  of  Froebel  undertaking  to  cover 
his  whole  life,  single  newspaper  articles  ex- 
cepted, which  has  been  published  from  the 
pen  of  an  American.  It  is  the  outcome  of  a 
course  of  lectures  delivered  in  the  winter  and 
spring  of  1895,  to  the  kindergarten  depart- 
ments of  the  Springfield  (Mass).  Industrial 
Institute  and  the  State  Normal  School  at 
New  Britain,  Conn.  The  author  has  aimed 
to  tell  the  story  as  clearly  as  possible,  so  that 
the  student  can  get  a  distinct  idea  of  what 
Froebel  was  doing  during  each  year  of  his  life, 
without  any  attempt  to  explain  or  inculcate  the 
philosophy  of  the  kindergarten.  In  putting  to- 
gether the  record  free  use  has  been  made  of 
every  authority  within  reach  that  could  throw 
any  possible  light  on  the  story  as  a  whole,  or  in 
its  details.  Now  that  the  work  is  supposed  to 
be  done  no  one  has  a  keener  sense  of  its  defects 
than  the  author,  nor  can  any  other  person  ap- 
preciate how  much  better  it  could  be  accom- 
plished were  it  to  be  done  over  again. 

Doubtless  the  comprehensive,  erudite,  and 
enlightening  biography  of  Froebel  for  Ameri- 
can readers,  which  they  can  thoroughly  under- 
stand and  delight  in,  is  yet  to  be  written. 
When  it  is  published  the  world  will  have  a 
story  of  absorbing  interest  and  convincing 
power. 


12 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Magdeburg; 


•  Berlin 


Vlttenberg" 


Leipzig 


Vaumburt; 


Weimar' 


Jena 


7  WMarienthal    /     •  Gneshiem 
/        X                 y{         Keiihau  •    ( 
k  1         \          /  ^JJlankenburga 

/) 

7/ 

^CmtGehreni]                         *Saalfeld           ^ 

BrietenbacR*        •„.         ^\    ,              Tf\ 
Uoerweisbach             UJ 
Neuhaus*               f 
Lauschaf              ^v                 /!•> 

X 

NSonnQberijM 

* 

/*->            ft  Coberg 

O            i 

-A"         / 

Bamberg 


Baireuth  < 


Central  Germany 

COMPILED  FOR 

PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD 

Milfon  Bradley  Go., 


Nuremberg' 


THE  LIFE  OF  FROEBEL. 

17S2-1792-IN  HIS  FATHER'S  HOUSE. 


The  story  of  Friedrich  Frcebel's  life  begins 
at  the  village  of  Oberweisbach  in  Central  Ger- 
many, where  he  was  horn.  April  21,  17*2. 
It  is  located  in  what  is  commonly  called  the 
Thuringian  Forest,  a  section  of  country  which 
is  triangular  in  shape,  nearly  one  hundred 
miles  on  its  longest  side  and  from  twenty-five 
to  eighty  in  breadth.  This  region  is  not 
wholly  a  forest,  as  the  name  implies,  but  is  a 
mountainous  district  within  the  borders  of 
which  there  are  many  charming  and  romantic 
places ;  so  lovely  that  the  tourist  is  fully  re- 
paid for  the  trouble  it  takes  to  reach  them. 
One  such  visitor  tells  us  that  the  forest,  al- 
though penetrated  at  various  points  by  rail- 
roads, is  for  the  most  part  accessible  only 
by  carriage  roads  and  footpaths.  The 
places  are  still  picturesque,  the  ruins  primitive 
and  the  life  of  the  people  simple  and  unspoiled. 
Within  the  -'Forest"  are  mountains,  some 
bare  or  tilled  in  patches,  others  covered  with 
trees  which  form  deep  forests  in  which  are 
found  deer,  wild  boar  and  many  other  kinds 
of  game.  Again  there  are  valleys  large  and 
small,  villages  and  towns,  castles  and  ruins, 
and  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men.  Within 
the  limits  of  this  territory  Froebel  spent  most 
of  his  seventy  years. 

Oberweisbach  is  located  in  the  southern 
part  of  this  district,  three  thousand  feet  above 
The  sea  level,  ten  miles  north  of  Lauscha, 
the  nearest  railroad  station  on  the  main  line 
running  through  the  Forest  to  Schwartzburg. 
It  is  a  delightful  place  for  a  summer  sojourn. 
but  the  winter  weather  is  exceedingly  cold 
and  the  neighboring  mountain  roads  are  often 
blockaded  for  weeks  by  snow.  It  has  a  popu- 
lation of  nineteen  hundred,  and  the  history 
of  the  settlement  runs  back  to  1540. 

The  house  where  Froebel  was  born  is  situ- 
ated on  the  main  street  of  the  village,  next  to 
the  "Golden  Anchor,"  which  is  the  principal 
hotel,  and  nearly  opposite  the  church.     It  is  of 


generous  proportions,  both  the  main  structure 
and  the  L  being  two  stories  high,  while  the 
former  is  surmounted  with  a  high  gambrel 
roof  containing  a  double  row  of  dormer  win- 
dows. Over  the  front  door  is  a  tablet  giving 
the  date  of  Fra'bel's  birth  and  death.  The 
house  is  still  occupied  by  the  village  pastor, 
as  it  was  a  hundred  years  ago.  who  is  presi- 
dent of  the  local  Froebel  society  and  who  takes 
pleasure  in  showing  to  American  visitors  the 
room  where  the  great  educator  was  born. 
together  with  various  Froebel  relics. 

To  our  minds  the  photograph  of  this  house 
shows  a  substantial,  cheerful  home,  with  the 
gardens,  village  guide-board,  watering-trough, 
telegraph  poles,  and  lamp-post  in  the  fore- 
ground. But  Frcebel's  remembrance  of  it  was 
very  different.  He  describes  it  as  being  close- 
ly surrounded  by  other  buildings,  walls, 
hedges  and  fences,  and  also  enclosed  by  a 
courtyard  and  by  grass  and  vegetable  gar- 
dens, his  entrance  to  which  was  severely 
punished.  The  dwelling  had  no  other  outlook 
than  right  and  left  on  houses,  in  front  on  a 
large  church,  and  behind  on  the  grassy  base  of 
a  high  mountain.  Another  writer  describes 
Frcebel's  youthful  environment  in  this  way  : 
"•There  was  nothing  in  the  dark  lower  part  of 
the  house,  surrounded  with  buildings  and  walls, 
to  captivate  a  child,  and  outside  there  was  quite 
as  little.  There  was  no  free  prospect,  which 
is  so  salutary  for  a  child.  In  close  proximity 
before  the  house  stood  the  church,  and  behind 
the  house  the  view  over  the  little  kitchen 
garden  was  obstructed  by  the  steep  rocky  wall 
of  a  high  hill.  Only  beyond  the  hill  was  a 
free  outlook,  and  the  boy  did  not  fail  to  fre- 
quently raise  his  eyes  to  the  blue  heavens. 
which  in  the  mountain  regions  are  so  clear  and 
serene  :  and  this  sight  and  the  rushing  wind 
from  the  hills  through  the  little  high-walled 
garden  sometimes  caused  in  him  a  kind  of 
ecstasy  which  he  remembered  through  life." 


14 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Froebel's  father  was  the  village  pastor,  a 
learned,  resolute,  preoccupied,  Lutheran 
clergyman.  His  mother,  judging  from  the 
little  that  we  can  learn  of  her  by  inference, 
possessed  a  very  mild  .  and  lovely  character, 
rare  insight,  and  sound,  liberal  views  of  life. 
He  believed  that  he  inherited  from  her  his 
imaginative  and  artistic  spirit.  To  these 
parents  were  born  live  sons,  the  eldest 
dying  in  infancy  and  the  others  growing- 
toman's  estate.  Friedrich  was  the  youngest, 
and  after  nursing  him  for  nine  months  his 
invalid  mother  died.  Writing  of  that  event 
long  after,  the  son  says:  "In  that  moment, 
when  my  dying  mother  kissed  her  highest 
benediction  on  brow  and  lips,  the  world  took 
my  tender  being,  so  easily  accessible  to  all 
influences,  to  lend  me  into  the  warfare  of  life, 
with  all  its  misery,  its  corruption  and  its 
deformity;  but  the  blessing  of  my  dying 
mother  remained  with  me,  and  the  protecting 
angel  who  heard  her  last  prayer  walked  by 
and  with  me." 

It  is  a  pathetic  story  of  those  infantile 
years,  which  Froebel  tells  himself,  almost  as 
much  so  as  the  early  chapters  of  David  Copper- 
field,  in  which  Dickens  is  supposed  to  recount 
the  tale  of  his  early  life.  Shut  up  in  the 
gloomy  parsonage  most  of  the  time  and  lefl 
to  the  care  of  the  single  housemaid  and  his 
own  devices,  he  seems  to  have  lacked  not 
only  playfellows  but  also  play-things.  Thus 
was  his  life  in  its  beginning  set  to  the  strains 
of  a  minor  key,  and  the  refrain  of  its  after 
years  contained  but  few  livelier  notes.  But 
the  solitude  and  want  of  companionship 
which  fell  to  his  lot  during  the  time  that  he 
lived  in  his  father's  house  developed  and  con- 
firmed in  him  a  habit  of  self-inspection  and  a 
yearning  after  better  things  which  subsequently 
bore  wonderful  fruit.  He  tells  us  that  at  one 
time  during  this  period  of  his  life  he  became 
greatly  interested  in  watching  some  workmen 
who  were  repairing  the  neighboring  church,  and 
that  a  strong  desire  took  hold  of  him  to 
undertake  the  building  of  a  church,  and  that 
he  began  to  collect  sticks  and  stones  as  heavy 
as  he  could  carry  for  such  a  structure.  His 
impulse  was  to  use  such  pieces  of  furniture  or 
other  objects  as  he  could  secure  with  which  to 
imitate  the  real  builders.  But  his  efforts 
ended  in  utter  failure,  and  in  giving  an  account 
of  his  experiment  he  says  he  remembers    very 


well  that  even  at  that  early  age  he  thought 
that  children  ought  to  have  suitable  material 
and  somebody  to  show  them  how  to  go  to  work 
with  it,  so  that  they  might  attain  better  results. 
In  relating  this  anecdote  Madam  Kriege  adds  : 
"Who  can  fail  to  see  that  in  this  incident, 
which  made  such  a  deep  impression  on  the 
boy's  mind,  lay  the  germ  of  his  endeavor, 
later  in  life,  to  devise  the  gifts  and  occupa- 
tions of  the  kindergarten?" 

In  reviewing  this  condition  of  domestic 
affairs  at  the  Froebel  parsonage  we  must  not 
blame  the  father  too  severely.  His  people 
numbered  from  three  to  five-thousand  souls, 
located  in  half  a  dozen  groups  and  scattered 
over  an  area  of  several  miles  ;  they  had  many 
pressing  wants  and  the  religious  services  which 
the  pastor  was  called  to  attend  were  frequent 
and  engrossing.  It  also  happened  that  during 
Froebel's  early  childhood  the  associate  charge 
of  a  large  new  church  was  given  him  in  addi- 
tion to  his  previous  duties,  so  that  he  was 
necessarily  away  from  home  much  of  the  time. 
But  the  chief  trouble  that  cast  a  cloud  over 
the  first  twenty  years  of  Froebel's  life  lay  in 
the  fact  that  father  and  son  were  so  differently 
constituted  that  the  former  never  understood 
the  latter.  On  this  point  Froebel  says  :  "Al- 
though my  father  was  a  stirring,  active  man, 
seldom  surpassed  in  his  relations  as  country 
pastor,  in  education,  learning  and  experience, 
yet  I  remained  a  stranger  to  him  through  his 
entire  life,  owing  to  these  separations  caused 
by  early  circumstances." 

And  yet  Dr.Lange  says  that  Froebel's  father 
was  "a  man  rich  in  insight,  and  truly  re- 
ligious, and  that  be  turned  his  attention 
with  the  greatest  solicitude  to  the  early  edu- 
cation of  this  youngest  son  of  his  beloved, 
departed  wife.  He  understood  how  to  unfold 
his  heart  and  mind  in  the  promising  boy  by 
a  judicious  training."  While  it  is  not  for 
us  to  decide  regarding  the  relative  justice 
of  the  two  quotations,  we  can  easily  see  that 
the  two  essential  elements  which  were  lacking 
in  the  first  decade  of  Froebel's  life  were  mother 
love  and  helpful  play,  just  those  elements  of 
child  life  which  he  afterwards  strove  so  hard 
to  develop  and  perpetuate  in  the  kindergarten 
system.  We  are  often  told  that  in  this  im- 
perfect world  there  is  no  glory  except  it  is 
wrought  out  through  suffering,  and  it  is  proba- 
ble  that  if  Friedrich  Froebel   had   been    born 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


15 


into  a  happy  home  he  could  never  have  felt  the 
need  of  the  kindergarten,  and  would  therefore 
never  have  worked  out  the  educational  system 
which  is  the  fruitage  of  a  life  tilled  with  pri- 
vation and  self-sacrificing  experiment. 

Froebel's  own  testimony  on  this  point,  out- 
lined in  a  speech  which  he  made  to  the  ladies 
of  Hamburg,  many  years  after,  is  worthy  of 
note.  In  that  speech  he  said  :  "Fate  showed 
me  the  importance  of  an  education  conforma- 
ble to  nature  by  giving  me  bitter  experiences 
and  privations,  while  the  early  loss  of  my 
mother  threw  me  upon  self-education.  What 
one  has  been  obliged  to  contend  with  bitterly 
he  wishes  to  soften  to  his  fellow  men.  Thus 
the  necessity  of  self-education  led  me  to  the 
education  of  my  fellow  men." 

When  Froebel  was  four  years  old  a  new  ele- 
ment entered  into  the  family  life,  that  of  the 
step-mother.  Of  this  woman  we  are  compelled 
to  say  that  she  fully  lived  up  to  the  traditions 
of  herposition,  proving  herself  the  typical  step- 
mother as  that  person  is  portrayed  in  books 
of  fiction  and  brought  out  on  the  stage.  What 
made  matters  worse  than  usual,  however,  was 
the  apparent  sincerity  and  love  with  which  she 
treated  the  boy  during  the  first  few  months  af- 
ter her  marriage,  only  to  repel  him  as  soon  as 
she  had  a  son  of  her  own,  when  she  at  once  be- 
gan to  call  him  by  an  appelation  commonly  ad- 
dressed to  a  servant.  While  he  basked  in  the 
sunlight  of  her  brief  smile  Ave  are  told  that  the 
household  were  surprised  at  the  astonishing 
change  that  took  place  in  the  silent,  taciturn 
child,  who  gained  visibly  every  day  in  health, 
strength  aud  activity.  But  scarcely  had  the 
young  mother  begun  to  fondle  her  own  baby 
than  it  seemed  to  little  Friedrich  that  she  had 
become  quite  another  person.  His  caresses 
were  tiresome,  his  presence  disagreeable.  He 
must  always  go  away,  and  if  he  remained  she 
had  neither  ears  nor  eyes  for  him  ;  she  saw  only 
her  nursling  and  had  no  heart,  no  interest  for 
the  boy  who  still  so  greatly  needed  the  tender- 
ness of  a  cherishing  mother. 

The  result  was  that  Friedrich  became  what 
is  usually  called  a  bad  boy.  Nobody,  says 
one  writer,  seemed  to  understand  him  or  cared 
to  understand  him.  Motives  for  his  actions 
were  attributed  to  him  which  he  never  had, 
and  unfortunately  all  this  distrust  and  want 
of  harmony  had  finally  the  effect  of  altering 
his     naturally     good   disposition.        He    often 


concealed  facts  aud  even  told  untruths,  because 
he  knew  that  he  would  be  punished  for  things 
that  were  not  wrong  in  themselves.  As  the 
years  passed  matters  seemed  to  get  from  bad 
to  worse,  so  that  his  father  came  to  regard 
him  as  a  very  bad  boy. 

But  the  picture  of  his  home  life  was  not 
altogether  a  sad  one.  As  soon  as  he  was  able 
to  do  anything  he  began  to  help  his  father  in 
gardening  and  received  in  this  way  many  last- 
ing impressions.  His  observation  was  directed 
to  what  was  near  to  him  in  nature,  and  the 
plant  world  became  to  him,  so  far  as  he  could 
see  and  touch  it,  an  object  of  his  thoughtful 
contemplation.  His  habit  of  nature  study  clung 
to  him  through  life,  and  was  made  an  essential 
part  of  the  kindergarten  system  when  it  came 
to  be  established.  The  parsonage  household 
was  a  bustling,  energetic  one.  We  are  told  by 
Froebel  himself  that  both  husband  and  wife  dis- 
played great  activity,  loved  order  and  sought 
in  all  imaginable  ways  to  beautify  their  sur- 
roundings. The  father  believed  in  keeping  up 
with  the  times,  and  for  that  purpose  he  took 
the  latest  publications  and  carefully  considered 
all  that  was  offered  to  him  in  them.  This  plan 
contributed  not  a  little  to  the  general  Christian 
life  that  reigned  in  the  household.  All  the 
members  of  it  were  assembled  for  devotions 
morning  and  evening  each  day  of  the  week,  and 
at  such  times  the  works  of  Zallikafer,  Hermes, 
Marezoll,  Sturm  and  others  were  read  aloud 
for  the  inspiration,  unfolding  and  elevation  of 
the  spiritual  life  of  the  family.  "Thus,"  writes 
Froebel,  "my  life  was  early  influenced  by  na- 
ture, by  work  and  by  religious  perceptions,  or 
as  I  prefer  to  say,  the  natural  and  primitive 
tendencies  of  every  human  being  were  nurtured 
in  the  germ." 

All  these  things  had  their  influence  on  the 
boy,  and  he  tells  us  that  he  was  often  deeply 
stirred  with  the  resolve  to  be  truly  noble  and 
good.  But  he  also  adds:  "As  I  hear  from 
others,  this  firm  resolution  often  contrasted 
with  my  outer  life.  I  was  full  of  youthful 
spirits  and  the  joy  of  life,  and  did  not  always 
know  how  to  moderate  my  activity, and  through 
carelessness  got  into  critical  situations  of  all 
kinds,  and  in  my  thoughtlessness  destroyed 
everything  around  me  that  I  wished  to  in- 
investigate." 

The  father  made  some  attempt  to  begin 
the  boy's  elementary    education,     but    the    re- 


16 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


suits  were  not  satisfactory  and  so  he  decided 
to  send  him  to  school.  There  were  two  schools 
in  the  village,  one  for  the  boys  and  the  other 
for  the  girls.  Doth  were  connected  with  the 
church,  and  as  its  pastor  the  father  could  choose 
either  for  his  son.  He  selected  the  girls' school. 
because  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  way  the 
boys'  teacher  discharged  his  duties. 

Probably  the  best  idea  of  FroebeFs  first  day 
at  school  can  be  given  by  quoting  his  own 
words  in  a  letter  written  some  sixty  years 
later  to  Col.  Von  Arnswald  : — 

"It  was  a  Monday  when  my  father  took 
me  to  school  himself.  I  was  placed  on  the 
seat  of  honor  by  the  side  of  the  teacher,  for 
the  reason,  I  suppose,  that  I  was  the  sou  of 
the  pastor,  or,  it  may  be,  because  I  was  reputed 
a  mischievious  boy  that  ought  not  to  sit  with 
thi'  girls.  The  smallest  girls  on  the  first  form 
were  seated  just  in  front  of  me.  A  verse 
from  the  Kiltie,  treated  in  the  sermon  on  the 
Sunday  preceding,  was  spoken  aloud  by  one 
of  the  older  girls  and  repeated  by  all  the 
small  girls  in  front.  On  this  first  day  of  my 
attendance  they  repeated  the  words  of  the 
Lord  :  "Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you.'  The  verse  was  explained  to 
the  older  girls  and  also  to  me.  But  the  little 
girls  were  not  required  to  know  it  perfectly 
before  Sunday.  Meanwhile  the  verse  was  re- 
peated in  parts  again  and  again,  in  the  high 
pitch  of  their  childish  voices,  iu  chorus,  and  in 
the  old  chanting  manner  of  village  schools.  I 
heard  this  verse  repeated  for  a  long  time  every 
morning  of  the  six  days  of  the  week,  until  the 
sounds,  the  words  and  the  sense  had  produced 
so  strong  an  impression  upon  me  as  to  make 
this  verse  the  motto  of  my  life  in  the  truest 
sense  of  the  word  ;  for  it  has  resounded  like 
the  chant  of  a  chorus  of  uuns  in  my  ears  all 
the  days  of  my  life.  The  older  I  grew  the  more 
thoroughly  was  I  led  to  recognize  the  full  im- 
portance and  efficacy  and  the  profound  living- 
truth  of  the  maxim.  It  became  the  basis  and 
the  regulator  of  numerous  understandings  of 
mine,  and  proved  its  entire  truthfulness."  In 
his  school  Froebel  read  in  the  Bible  with  the 
older  pupils  and  he  also  learned  with  them  the 
sacred  songs  which  were  snug  on  Sundays  in 
the  church.  Among  these  hymns  he  says  there 
were  two  which  shone  on  the  clouded  (lawn  of 
his  early  childhood  like   bright  morning  stars. 


"They  became,"  he  adds,  "to  me  as  my  life 
songs,  because  in  them  I  saw  mirrored  my 
own  little  life,  and  their  meaning  touched  my 
heart  so  deeply  that  in  later  years  I  have  many 
a  time  been  strengthened  and  refreshed  by  what 
they  imparted  to  my  soul."  These  songs  were. 
"Rise  my  heart  and  soul,"  and  "It  costethmuch 
to  be  a  Christ."  He  mentions  iu  this  connec- 
tion that  he  followed  his  father's  Sunday  ser- 
mons with  great  attention,  sitting  apart  from 
the  rest  of  the  congregation,  in  tin1  vestry. 

During  these  years  the  problems  of  life  sat 
heavily  on  those  young  shoulders  and  bewil- 
dered that  youthful  brain.  For  the  most  part 
he  was  kept  closely  at  home,  although  he  some- 
times rode  about  the  parish  with  his  father 
while  the  latter  was  making  pastoral  calls.  It 
was  his  delight  to  mount  the  high  hill  back  of 
the  house  that  he  might  enlarge  his  actual  hori- 
zon and  relieve  his  spirit  from  the  depressing 
conlines  of  the  narrow  valley.  Tradition  says 
that  on  the  spot  where  the  Memorial  Tower 
now  stands  he  spent  many  hours  in  watching 
the  sunset  and  in  boyish  musing.  Year  by 
year  he  became  enamoured  of  all  the  different 
phases  of  nature  which  came  within  his  ob- 
servation, and  more  fond  of  studying  their 
development. 

As  he  grew  into  boyhood  we  are  told  that  his 
mind  was  moved  most  deeply  not  by  the  many 
admonitions  and  the  pious  instructions  which 
he  received,  but  by  the  many  interviews  be- 
tween his  father  and  members  of  the  pastor's 
Hock  to  which  he  listened.  One  writer  states 
the  case  in  this  way  :  "A  boy  of  between  eight 
and  eleven  years,  small  and  slight  in  stature, 
apparently  busied  with  a  book,  or  some  kind 
of  writing,  seemed  to  the  visitors  at  the  par- 
sonage no  hindrance.  They  had  come  to  open 
their  hearts  to  the  highly  honored  and  spiritual 
teacher  and  to  ask  his  counsel  in  their  distressed 
circumstances.  But  the  child  listened  with  all 
the  sharp  attention  of  an  inquisitive,  penetrat- 
ing mind,  to  which  the  world  and  all  its  com- 
plications was  wholly  strange.  Each  person 
served  as  a  rent  in  the  curtain  which  concealed 
life  from  him,  a  telescope  through  which  he 
could  study  the  world. 

But  it  was  the  dark  side  of  life  that  was  thus 
revealed  to  him.  It  was  the  complaint  of  the 
sorely-tried  mother  over  the  ungrateful  son,  the 
acknowledgment  of  a  hidden  sin,  a  melancholy 
fall,  it  was  the  sting  of  conscience,  fear,  repent- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


17 


ance,  despair,  which  alternately  had  the  word, 

while  the  earnest,  yes,  severe  teacher,  now 
through  the  inexorable  precepts  of  the  divine 
law,  then  with  the  consolations  of  mercy,  strove 
to  work  on  the  dejected  minds.  These  conver- 
sations and  other  influences  of  that  time  re- 
vealed to  him  the  inner  life  of  men,  with  its 
hidden  springs  and  its  concealed  strife  and 
pain,  and  he  perceived  more  and  more  the  con- 
nection between  things  and  words  and  aims. 
without  being  able  to  discover  in  himself  and 
around  him  anything  satisfying,  anything  aton- 
ing, and  although  this  fair  soul  had  already  felt 
an  indefinable  need  of  unity  and  harmony,  yet 
he  could  no  more  unite  them  than  he  could  the 
most  incongruous  opposites.  the  most  irrecon- 
cilable enmities." 

The  boy  was  ten  years  old  when  his  eldest 
brother,  Christoph,  a  theological  student  at 
the  University  of  Jena,  came  home  for  a  visit, 
and  great  was  his  joy  in  seeing  him.  Together 
the  brothers  roamed  the  fields,  the  elder  ap- 
pearing to  the  younger  an  angel  of  consolation 
who  understood  him  and  was  ready  to  protect 
him  from  unjust  treatment,  because  he  saw 
through  all  the  youthful  faults  the  glimmer  of 
the  beautiful  side  of  his  misapprehended  and 
suppressed  character.  To  him  he  unfolded 
some  of  his  mental  troubles,  asking  him  why 
it  was  that  God  did   not  make  all    the    people 


men  or  all  women,  so  that  there  should  be  no 
quarreling,  his  idea  being  that  most  of  the  con- 
tention in  the  world  arises  from  the  difference 
which  exists  in  the  sexes.  To  direct  his  mind 
from  the  problem  of  human  discord  his  brother 
showed  him  the  processes  of  vegetation — the 
compensating  nature  of  imperfections  in  male 
and  female  flowers,  and  how  through  the  prin- 
ciple of  growth  harmonies  of  beauty  and  use 
are  born  out  of  the  connection  of  opposites. 

As  the  plants  and  flowers  of  the  parsonage 
garden  had  until  now  been  Friedrich's  dearest 
playfellows,  so  the  new  revelation  of  the  vege- 
table world  which  his  brother  disclosed  to  him 
in  their  talks  attracted  his  interest  and  he  be- 
sieged Christoph  with  all  manner  of  questions. 

.lust  then  the  beautiful  purple  threads  of 
the  blossoming  hazel  claimed  a  considerable 
share  of  their  attention  and  threw  the  boy  into 
raptures.  His  brother  gave  him  careful  in- 
struction regarding  the  flowers  and  his  visit 
proved  a  great  and  lasting  benefit  in  calming 
the  perturbed  spirit  of  the  child.  But  when 
he  was  gone  the  father's  house  seemed  more 
desolate  than  ever  to  the  little  motherless  boy 
wdio  had  a  home  there  only  in  name,  and  a  burn- 
ing desire  took  possession  of  his  soul  to  get 
away,  as  his  brothers  had  done,  to  find  some 
other  abiding  place  with  a  more  desirable  en- 
vironment and  better  means  for  helpful  growth. 


1792— 1797— WITH  HIS  GUARDIAN. 


A  visitor  came  to  the  parsonage  at  Ober- 
weisbach  in  the  autumn  of  17i>2  who  took  a 
deep  interest  in  Friedrich  Froebel.  It  was 
Herr  Hoffman,  his  mother's  brother,  who  was 
pastor  at  Stadt  Ilm,  a  market  town  north  of 
Froebel's  home.  This  uncle  resembled  his 
sister  in  many  ways  and  had  never  ceased  to 
mourn  her  loss.  He  could  not  help  not  icing- 
how  unhappy  and  ill-suited  to  his  surroundings 
Froebel  appeared,  marking  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  step-mother  and  her  predecessor. 
The  uncle  and  nephew  were  mutually  drawn 
together,  and  we  are  told  that  when  at  a  cer- 
tain time  during  the  visit  Froebel  fixed  upon 
Herr  Hoffman  his  soft  and  melancholy  eyes, 
as  if  with  longing,  it  suddenly  seemed  to  him 
as  if  he  saw  the  mother  in  the  face  of  the  child  ; 


as  if  the  soul  of  the  loved  sister  had  directed 
a  prayer  to  him,  through  this  glance,  and  he 
decided  in  his  heart  to  give  it  a  hearing.  As 
a  consequence,  soon  after  returning  home  he 
made  the  father  a  proposition  for  the  care 
and  education  of  the  boy,  which  was  gladly 
and  quickly  accepted.  In  this  way  the  uncle 
became  Friedrich's  guardian  and  he  was  also 
the  custodian  of  certain  funds  left  to  Friedrich 
by  his  mother. 

Life  at  Stadt  Ilm  was  very  different  from 
what  it  had  been  at  Oberwiesbach.  The  little 
city  lies  in  a  broad  valley,  by  a  clear  but  nar- 
row stream.  Herr  Hoffman  had  lost  his  wife 
and  child  years  before  and  his  family  consisted 
of  himself  and  his  aged  mother-in-law.  The 
parsonage  was  a  spacious,  airy  house.      There 


18 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


was  a  garden  adjoining  it  where  the  boy  spent 
many  happy  hours,  and  he  was  allowed  to  roam 
at  will  through  the  whole  region,  provided  he 
never  failed  to  be  at  home  at  the  appointed 
time.     Concerning  these  days  he  writes  : — 

"As  austerity  reigned  in  my  father's  house, 
s<>  here  kindness  and  benevolence.  I  saw  there, 
in  respect  to  myself,  distrust ;  here,  confidence  ; 
there  I  felt  constraint,  here,  freedom.  While 
there  I  had  been  hardly  at  all  among  boys  of 
my  own  age;  here  I  found  certainly  as  many 
as  forty  fellow-pupils,  for  I  entered  the  higher 
class  in  the  town  school."  This  last-mentioned 
fact  would  seem  to  indicate  that  Froebel  had 
made  considerable  progress  in  the  school  at 
Oberweisbach,  although  some  of  his  biogra- 
phers would  have  us  think  that  the  training  re- 
ceived there  was  of  little  benefit  to  him.  He 
says,  in  his  autobiography,  that  in  the  new 
school  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic  were 
well  taught,  and  that  the  religious  instruction 
was  excellent.  And  he  adds.  ".Mathematics  lay 
near  my  nature.  When  I  received  private  in- 
struction in  this  branch  my  advance  steps  were 
so  marked  that  they  bordered  on  the  height  of 
knowledge  and  ability  possessed  by  my  teacher, 
which  was  by  no  means  slight." 

Our  pupil  also  informs  us  that  Latin  was  mis- 
erably taught  and  still  more  sparingly  learned, 
but  that  the  time  which  he  spent  on  it  was  not 
entirely  lost,  because  he  learned  to  understand 
that  a  course  of  instruction  so  carried  on  can 
bring  forth  no  fruit  in  the  pupils.  The  recita- 
tions in  geography  were  parrot-like,  the  boys 
being  allowed  to  use  many  words  without  re- 
ceiving any  adequate  knowledge  of  the  subject 
or  of  its  relations  to  the  life  of  the  world,  al- 
though they  could  correctly  name  all  the  colored 
market  towns  and  little  boroughs  on  the  local 
map.  Froebel  was  given  private  geographical 
lessons  in  regard  to  England,  but  as  he  could 
get  no  clear  idea  of  its  connection  with  his  own 
country  this  special  instruction  did  him  but  lit- 
tle good.  There  was  also  teaching  in  writing 
and  spelling,  and  training  in  singing  and  piano- 
playing,  but  Froebel's  verdict,  rendered  many 
years  later,  was  that  they  amounted  to  but  very 
little.  He  says  that  the  element  of  generaliza- 
tion was  entirely  lacking,  and  while  he  praises 
the  arithmetical  instruction  he  immediately  adds 
that  notwithstanding  the  training  which  he  re- 
ceived he  was  very  much  surprised  and  morti- 
fied to  find,  when  he  was  ten  years  older,  that 


he  could  not  solve  the  problems  given  out  to 
the  boys  in  Pestalozzi's  school.  What  a  pity 
it  was  that  those  instructors  of  Froebel  did 
not  teach  him  how  to  write  clearly,  the  art  and 
habit  of  expressing  himself  with  pen  and  speech 
so  that  the  world,  or  at  least  the  educational 
part  of  it,  might  understand  his  language  with- 
out profound  study  and  the  intervention  of 
many  interpreters  ! 

Nevertheless,  the  boy  gained  freedom  of 
mind  and  bodily  strength  day  by  day,  and 
"drank  fresh  courage  in  long  draughts."  He 
explains  that  in  his  efforts  to  put  himself  on 
common  ground  with  the  other  boys  the  fre- 
quent reaction  after  play  was  often  grievous, 
because  his  strength  and  activity  were  not 
developed  according  to  his  age.  and  his  bold 
daring  could  never  supply  the  quiet,  vigorous 
strength  and  the  knowledge  of  its  limit  which 
his  companions  enjoyed.  He  was  regarded  by 
them  as  being  very  peculiar  and  the  more  he 
exerted  himself  to  win  them  to  him,  so  much 
the  more  striking  his  awkwardness  appeared  to 
them.  He  was  very  anxious  to  do  everything 
they  did,  but  his  movements  were  so  stiff  and  his 
demeanor  so  wooden,  says  one  of  his  biogra- 
phers, that  he  would  have  been  rejected  by 
the  band,  had  not  one  of  the  boys  recognized 
his  good  qualities  and  resolved  to  give  him  aid 
and  protection.  For  a  time  he  could  take  no 
part  in  the  games  of  the  other  boys,  no  matter 
how  hard  he  tried,  because  the  robust  strength 
and  activity  of  his  companions,  who  had  grown 
up  in  freedom,  quickly  overcame  his  despairing 
efforts.  But  eventually  his  perseverance  con- 
quered, and  the  air,  the  active  movements,  the 
better  care  and  the  joyousness  assisted  not  a 
little  to  improve  his  elasticity  and  health,  and 
after  a  hard  probation  he  received  permission 
of  the  boys  to  play  with  them. 

He  was  much  effected  by  the  religious  in- 
struction given  in  the  school  and  its  represen- 
tation of  the  character  and  the  life  of  Christ. 
With  all  these  occupations  and  diversions  some 
four  years  and  a  half  passed,  the  chief  advan- 
tage being  "that  he  became  a  child  again  in  a 
youthful  world  whose  joys  could  warm  and 
cheer  his  soul  so  that  his  heart  could  resume 
its  natural  elasticity."  He  was  a  different  boy 
even  when  he  went  back  to  the  parsonage  at 
Oberweisbach,  where  he  spent  his  vacations, 
entering  heartily  into  all  the  activities  of  the 
household  and  taking  special  pleasure  in  study- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


19 


ing  the  books  and  engravings  in  his  father's 
library.  Before  leaving  Stadt  Ilm  he  was 
confirmed  and  admitted  to  the  church  by  his 
uncle.  Of  this  time  he  writes  :  "The  earnest 
days  of  preparation  and  the  holy  solemnity 
might  pass  away,  but  deep  and  lasting  were 
the  impressions  of  those  beautiful  hours  in 
which  all  the  threads  of  my  life  were  compre- 
hended in  a  glorious  center  of  peace  and  unity." 
Thus  ended  the  second  period  of  his  career. 
AVhile  it  afforded  him  many  advantages  it  did 
not  secure  for  him  the  preparation  for  practical 
life  which  is  so  much  to  be  desired  in  every 
boy  who  has  his  way  to  make  in  the  world. 
His  uncle  lived  in  a  kind  of  an  ideal  life  and 
in  all  his  generous  efforts  for  FroebePs  develop- 
ment it  never  for  a  moment  occurred  to  him 
how  little  he  was  forming  las  pupil  to  become 
a  useful  citizen.  On  this  point  let  us  quote 
once  more    from  FroebePs  autobiography.    "I 


was  really  as  though  placed  in  a  garden  where 
I  could  freely  move  about  and  where  the  glad 
sun  shone  on  me  and  warmed  me,  but  where 
there  were  fruits  that  were  hard  to  reach, 
which  hung  on  trees  that,  considering  my  un- 
developed strength,  were  very  hard  to  climb. 
In  this  meager  way  I  was  left  to  gather  strength 
without  leader  or  guide  for  an  independent 
life — for  work — for  action.  As  my  mind  was 
satisfied  only  with  the  relative,  the  analogous, 
1  received  a  very  one-sided  direction.  I  cre- 
ated a  world  for  myself,  which  was  very 
little  like  the  world,  and  was  comprehensible 
or  intelligible  only  to  me.  I  knew  and  under- 
stood very  much  for  myself,  but  it  was  a 
heightened  self-consciousness  which  had  no 
value  for  others.  I  knew  and  comprehended 
absolutely  nothing  of  the  world,  nothing  of 
the  social  life  for  wdiich  I  was  destined." 


1797— 1799— THE  FORESTER'S  APPRENTICE. 


In  the  spring- of  1797,  at  the  age  of  fifteen, 
we  find  Froebel  back  again  in  his  father's 
house,  with  a  great  question  confronting  him 
and  the  rest  of  the  family,  the  choice  of  an 
occupation  for  life.  It  had  seemed  to  him 
that  he  would  like  to  be  a  preacher,  but  he 
dared  not  let  his  thoughts  dwell  on  such  a 
thing,  because,  according  to  his  step-mother 
it  had  been  "distinctly  understood"  for  years 
that  he  must  not  go  to  the  University  for  the 
reason  that  his  two  brothers,  Christoph  and 
Traugott,  were  already  there,  and  the  other 
brother,  Christian,  was  expecting  to  follow 
them.  This  woman  said  that  to  undertake  to 
send  the  fourth  son  would  certainly  impover- 
ish the  family  finances  to  an  extent  which  would 
be  unbearable,  and,  moreover,  that  Friedrich 
was  too  stupid  to  have  anymore  time  or  money 
wasted  on  his  education.  It  is  said,  however, 
that  her  scruples  about  spending  more  money 
at  the  University  faded  out  of  sight  when  her 
first-born  son  came  to  be  old  enough  to  enter  it. 

But  it  was  determined  that  for  Friedrich 
something  commercial  should  be  sought,  and 
his  father  applied  to  a  neighboring  revenue 
officer  for  a  clerkship,  but  without  success. 
There  was  also  some  talk  of  his  enterino-   into 


the  service  of  a  wealthy  family  named  Von 
Halzhausen,  the  same  one  in  which  he  subse- 
quently became  a  tutor,  but  he  was  very  much 
opposed  to  this  plan  and  tells  in  his  subsequent 
writings  "that  he  never  felt  in  his  heart  such 
violent  feelings  of  horror  against  anything  as 
he  did  in  the  thought  of  having  a  position 
where  he  must  brush  clothes  and  shoes  and 
serve  at  the  table." 

Then  the  father  consulted  the  boy's  wishes 
and  he  expressed  a  desire  for  an  outdoor  life, 
because  of  his  love  of  nature.  About  this 
time  the  elder  Froebel  became  acquainted  with 
a  surveyor  and  assessor  living  at  Neuhaus,  a 
place  lying  south  of  Oberweisbach,  who  had  a 
special  reputation  for  his  knowledge  of  geome- 
try. Of  him  one  record  says  that  he  was  "a 
noble  and  earnest  man,  in  ecclesiastical  matters 
a  congenial  spirit."  But  it  was  a  record  that 
fell  far  short  of  the  mark  in  the  case  of  Froebel, 
who  was  apprenticed  to  him  for  two  years,  to 
learn  geometry,  surveying,  the  method  of 
assessing  taxes  and  the  care  of  forests.  The 
master  was  well  versed  in  the  duties  of  his 
profession,  but  he  did  not  understand  the  art 
of  teaching  and  could  therefore  impart  very 
little  instruction    to   others.     Neither   did   he 


20 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


have  the  time  to  do  what  he  had  promised  for 
his  apprentice,  so  engrossing  were  the  demands 
of  the  practical  work  connected  with  his  daily 
business.  Moreover,  he  was  often  away  from 
home  for  long  periods,  when  the  pupil  was 
left  entirely  to  himself  with  ample  time  to 
study  the  library  of  hooks  belonging  to  the 
house.  Froebel  was  not  slow  to  improve  this 
opportunity,  giving  much  attention  to  works 
on  geometry  and  forest  affairs  and  the  collect- 
ing and  drying  of  plants,  as  well  as  the  drawing 
of  maps  of  the  district.  He  also  made  the 
acquaintance  of  a  physician  in  the  neighbor- 
ing market  town  who  loaned  him  additional 
books  on  botany. 

During  these  years  we  are  told  that  he  lived 
in  peace  and  quiet,  protected  from  evil,  in  an 
ideal  world  which  he  himself  had  created  and 
that  he  obtained  a  closer  knowledge  of  field, 
meadow  and  forest,  for  he  saw  nothing  else  but 
field,  meadow  and  forest,  through  which  he 
wandered  by  day  and  night.  "He  felt  that  in 
nature  there  must  be  a  higher  interest  than  to 
supply  us  with  certain  material  advantages  and 
facilities,  and  he  beganalso  to  perceive  that  in 
order  to  represent  the  ideal  farmer  something 
else  W'as  necessary  than  merely  the  proper 
management  of  the  various  objectsof  husband- 
ry. How  greatly  he  wished  that  all  men  who 
thus  lived  from,  with  and  in  nature  could  look 
on  her  with  other  eyes,  and  not  make  her  tribu- 
tary as  their  slave — but  accept  her  also  as  their 
friend,  in  a  pure,  beautiful  and  elevated,  God- 
glorifying  life."  AVe  are  further  told  that  in 
those  days  he  was  always  dressed  in  green,  the 
color  of  the  fields,  with  yellow  top-boots  and  a 
feather  in  his  hat,  and  that  no  one  who  saw  him 
wandering  about  the  country  could  possibly 
have  suspected  the  depth  and  earnestness  of 
soul,  thirsting  for  light  and  truth,  which  dwelt 
in  this  fantastic  boy. 

During  the  latter  part  of  his  stay  at  Neuhaus 
a  company  of  strolling  actors  gave  a  series  of 
plays  in  a  neighboring  castle.  Froebel  at- 
tended their  iirst  presentation  and  was  so  much 
moved  by  it  that  he  came  again  and  again  to 
see  and  hear  them.  These  dramas  seemed  to 
offer  to  his  fancy  the  long  deprived  element  of 
poetry,  and  touched  his  susceptible  mind  all 
the  more  deeply  because  he  recalled  and  lived 
over  again  the  scenes  of  each  play  during  the 
long  walk  home,  beneath  the  starry  heavens, 
which  followed  every  performance.     He  vividly 


remembered,  in  later  years,  the  enthusiasm 
which  was  awakened  in  his  breast  by  the 
rendering  of  such  plays  as  "The  Huntsmen" 
by  Iffland.  He  invested  all  he  saw  and  heard 
on  that  rural  stage  with  lofty  thoughts  and 
purposes,  and  believed  those  actors  happy 
who  could,  according  to  his  view,  work  so 
powerfully  for  the  improvement  of  mankind. 
He  imagined  that  the  profession  of  the  stage 
was  a  noble  calling,-  and  one  that  he  would  like 
well  to  follow.  He  wrote  home  to  his  father 
about  his  new  aspirations  and  the  latter  re- 
plied by  upbraiding  him  in  good  set  terms. 
This  letter  was  a  matter  of  genuine  grief  to  him, 
because  he  tells  us  that  he  had  come  to  regard 
his  patronage  of  the  theater  a  matter  to  he  as 
much  commended  as  lushest  church  attendance. 

He  even  went  so  far,  before  receiving  his 
father's  letter,  as  to  introduce  himself  to  one 
of  the  actors  that  he  might  disclose  his  wish  to 
join  such  a  desirable  profession.  The  biogra- 
pher tells  us  that  the  peculiar  interview  ended 
in  this  way  :  "The  actor  listened  earnestly  to 
Friedrich,  but  a  melancholy  smile  played  around 
his  mouth  as  lie  took  his  hand  and  answered 
him:  'You  deceive  yourself,  young  friend; 
our  society  is  nothing  of  all  that  which  you 
dream.  AVe  hold  together  only  through  hunger. 
Would  to  God  that  I  had  never  trod  the  boards 
and  could  labor  with  my  hands.'  He  then  went 
on  to  depict  all  the  misery  of  the  life  behind 
the  curtain, particularly  for  one, who  like  himself 
belonged  to  a  cultured  family  and  had  taken  it 
up  through  necessity."  This  ended  FrcebeFs 
theatrical  aspirations,  but  in  order  to  mollify 
his  father's  anger  he  wrote  to  his  brother  Chris- 
toph  the  whole  story  andbeggedhis  intercession 
with  their  father. 

The  apprenticeship  with  the  surveyor  or  for- 
ester, as  he  is  commonly  called,  came  to  an  end 
in  the  summer  of  17(J!),  and  Froebel  and  his 
master  parted  unpleasantly.  He  had  proved 
himself  valuable  to  this  man,  who  on  that  ac- 
count wanted  to  keep  him  another  year.  But 
the  hoy  felt  that  he  must  have  time  to  follow 
out  his  studies  more  systematically  than  he 
could  possibly  do  by  remaining,  and  therefore 
started  for  home  on  foot  as  soon  as  his  time 
had  expired.  This  action  so  enraged  the  sur- 
veyor that  he  sent  a  letter  to  Froebel's  father 
complaining  that  the  young  man  had  been  un- 
faithful in  many  ways  and  deserved  censure. 

On  his  way  home  Froebel  stopped  at  the  vil- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


21 


lage  where  his  brother  Christoph  had  located  as 
a  pastor  and  while  the  brothers  were  visiting' 
together  the  forester's  letter  was  forwarded  to 
them  from  Oberweisbach.  As  a  result  Fried- 
rich  related  to  Christoph  all  that  had  happened 
during  his  stay  at  Neuhaus,  naming  the  books 
he  had  studied,  showing  the  maps  he  had  drawn 
and  his  collections  of  botanical  specimens. 
As  a  result  Christoph  stood  perfectly  amazed 
while  he  heard  of  such  inexcusable  neglect  on 
the  part  of  the  forester,  and  at  once  began  to 
reproach  Friedrich  because  he  had  not  informed 
his  father  of  the  great  waste  of  time  which  had 
beengoing  on  during  such  an  important  appren- 
ticeship. But  in  reply  the  younger  brother  re- 
minded him  of  the  sentence  pronounced  on  him 
1  >y  the  father  when  he  went  to  Neuhaus  :  '  'We 
will  not  hear  any  complaints.  Ave  shall  always 
consider  you  in  the  wrong."  Christoph  well 
knew  the  father's  severity  and  was  silent,  but 
he  took  on  himself  at  once  the  duty  of  pointing 
out  to  him  the  gross  neglect  of  the  forester  and 
that  Friedrich,  considering  the  meager  means 
at  his  command,  had  improved   his   time   and 


made   real  progress  in  map   drawing,   mathe- 
matics and  botany. 

Nevertheless,  his  reception  at  home  was  little 
calculated  to  inspire  a  young  man  with  courage 
and  hope  for  the  future.  The  step-mother 
had  lent  a  willing  ear  to  the  forester's  letter  and 
was  prepared  to  estimate  it  at  face  value,  and 
she  saw  in  the  rich  and  excellent  collection  of 
plants,  dried  with  the  utmost  care,  nothing  but 
foolery.  The  world  looked  particularly  dark 
to  Froebel  just  then, the  question  what  to  do 
next  being  more  perplexing  than  ever.  What 
the  result  would  have  been  had  not  an  accident 
helped  shape  his  future  course  in  life  no  one 
can  predict.  His  brother  Traugott,  who  was 
studying  medicine  at  Jena,  wrote  home  for 
money,  and  as  the  matter  was  urgent  and  as 
Friedrich  had  nothing  to  do  it  was  decided  to 
make  him  the  messenger  to  take  it  there.  And 
so  to  Jena  he  went  in  the  summer  of  17'.>(.>, 
and  being  once  there  remained  as  a  student. 
thereby  fulfilling  his  highest  ambition  and 
accomplishing  the  day  dreams  of  all  his  con- 
scious years. 


1799— 1801—  A  STUDENT  AT  JENA. 


When  Froebel  reached  the  University  town 
he  persuaded  his  brother  to  write  home  that  his 
time  could  be  profitably  employed  there  for 
the  eight  remaining  weeks  of  the  term  in  the 
study  of  topographical  and  local  drawing.  The 
request  was  granted,  the  reason  being,  in  all 
probability,  that  the  step-mother  had  very  little 
idea  of  what  she  could  do  with  the  boy  if  he 
came  home.  The  brothers  returned  to  Ober- 
weisbach in  September  and  Friedrich  began  at 
once  to  plead  with  his  father  for  leave  to  be- 
come a  regular  student  at  Jena.  The  father  said 
that  he  would  gladly  favor  such  a  project,  but 
that  he  did  not  see  how  the  money  could  be 
provided  for  both  Christian  and  Friedrich  to 
take  a  prescribed  course  at  the  University,  and 
that  it  would  involve  a  good  deal  of  sacrifice 
to  carry  Christian,  who  was  two  years  the 
elder,  through  the  studies  which  he  had  al- 
ready begun.  But  he  told  Friedrich  to  talk  the 
matter  over  with  his  brothers  and  his  guar- 
dian, which  lie  did.  As  a  result  his  darling- 
wish  was  secured  by  an  act  of  generous  self- 
renunciation  on  the  pait  of  Christian. 


This  brother  was  a  young  man  of  noble 
character;  he  loved  Friedrich  sincerely  and 
understood  how  much  harder  it  would  be  for 
him  to  give  up  the  life  and  subsequent  career 
of  a  student  than  it  would  be  if  he  himself 
should  choose  some  vocation  in  what  we  are  ac- 
customed to  call  practical  life.  It  was  evident 
that  only  one  of  the  brothers  could  go  to  college 
and  Christian  resigned  all  his  prospects  in  a 
professional  way  and  decided  to  devote  him- 
self to  manufacturing  interests.  In  this  new 
departure  he  was  successful,  securing  in  time 
a  competency  which  he  freely  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  Friedrich  in  aid  of  educational  schemes 
to  which  he  also  gave  his  personal  service  and 
that  of  his  family  for  many  years. 

It  was  therefore  decided  that  Christian's  offer 
should  be  accepted  and  that  Friedrich  should 
take  his  brother's  place  at  Jena,  the  uncle  as 
guardian  having  consented  to  apply  to  the  cost 
of  his  education  then-  the  money  held  in  trust 
as  a  legacy  from  his  mother.  Consequently 
we  find  him  back  at  Jena  in  the  last  months  of 
17'.»'.»,  registered   as   a  student  of  philosophy. 


22 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


This  labeling  was  evidently  the  work  of  Frce- 
bel's  father,  rather  than  by  the  direction  of 
the  pupil  himself,  for  he  says  that  it  appeared 
to  him  very  strange,  because  he  had  only 
thought  of  practical  knowledge  as  the  object  of 
his  study.  The  lectures  which  he  attended  per- 
tained to  mathematics,  arithmetic,  algebra, 
geometry,  mineralogy,  botany,  natural  history, 
physics,  chemistry,  the  science  of  finance,  care 
of  forest  trees,  architecture,  building  and  sur- 
veying. He  also  continued  topographical 
drawing,  but  we  are  told  that  he  learned  noth- 
ing of  philosophy,  except  what  was  imparted 
to  him  through  the  conversation  of  his  friends. 
But  the  fact  that  he  had  been  registered  in  the 
department  of  philosophy,  he  tells  us,  made 
on  his  dreamy,  easily-moved  and  susceptible 
life  a  very  great  impression,  and  gave  his 
studies  an  unexpected,  higher  meaning.  Con- 
cerning the  mathematical  lectures  he  says: 
"The  lectures  of  my  excellent  teacher  had  not 
the  same  value  that  they  might  and  would  have 
had,  if  I  had  seen  in  the  sequence  of  the  in- 
struction and  in  the  progress  of  the  same,  more 
inner  necessity  and  less  arbitrariness." 

He  found  more  satisfaction  in  the  teaching 
which  he  received  in  botany,  zoology  and  natu- 
ral history.  In  the  handling  of  mineralogy, 
which  he  greatly  loved,  he  discovered  how  little 
his  eyes  were  opened  and  how  feebly  he  had 
learned  to  see.  He  says  that  in  the  natural  his- 
tory branches  he  had  a  sensible,  loving  and 
benevolent  teacher  and  that  through  him  his  in- 
sight into  nature  was  essentially  quickened  and 
his  love  for  observing  it  made  more  active. 

It  was  this  experience  which  led  him  in  after 
life  to  give  little  children  suitable  directions 
and  encouragement  in  acquiring  habits  of  close 
observation. 

Our  young  student  lived  very  economically 
and  in  a  secluded  way  at  Jena,  seldom  appeal- 
ing in  public  places  and  visiting  few  other  stu- 
dents except  his  brother.  But  we  are  told  that 
he  did  attract  the  attention  of  several  natural- 
ists because  of  his  eagerness  to  advance  in 
their  line  of  study,  and  that  he  accepted  their 
invitation  to  join  two  societies  which  they 
were  forming  at  that  time. 

But  here  in  Jena,  being  well  started  in  his 
studies,  he  soon  began  to  meet  with  fresh 
trouble,  an  element  which  was  destined  to  en- 
ter into  every  period  of  his  life.  He  had  1  in  night 
enough  money  with  him  to  last  for  a  consider- 


able time  but  after  awhile,  at  the  request  of 
his  brother,  he  loaned  him  the  greater  part  of 
his  little  store,  on  a  promise  that  it  would  be 
repaid  so  that  no  inconvenience  should  result 
to  him  from  the  loan.  This  promise  Avas  not 
fulfilled,  and  some  accounts  say  that  Traugott, 
who  was  in  his  last  year  at  the  University, 
even  departed  from  the  city  leaving  the  boy 
without  support  for  the  future  or  means  to  pay 
bills  which  were  already  over-due.  At  all  events 
Friedrich  found  himself  toward  the  end  of  his 
third  half  year,  in  the  summer  of  1801,  in  debt 
thirty  thalers,  a  little  less  than  $25,  to  a  res- 
taurant keeper,  and  having  nothing  to  pay  was 
thrown  into  the  University  prison  wiiere  he 
languished  for  nine  weeks. 

There  are  some  things  about  this  narrative 
which  seem  incredible.  Previous  to  his  im- 
prisonment the  creditor  had  for  a  long  time 
threatened  to  resort  to  extreme  measures  and 
had  made  a  demand  on  the  father,  which  the 
latter  had  met  with  a  very  positive  denial.  The 
reason  for  this  refusal  is  said  to  be  that  the  el- 
der Froebel  allowed  himself  to  be  wholly  domi- 
nated in  the  matter  by  his  wife.  After  his  con- 
finement had  begun  Fiiedrich  wrote  again  to  his 
father  for  help  and  also  to  his  guardian,  who 
still  held  a,  part  of  his  money.  But  he  received 
no  aid  from  either  quarter,  the  uncle  declin- 
ing succor  because  of  some  section  of  the  city 
ordinances  which  prevented  him  from  interfer- 
ing in  such  an  affair.  It  is  supposed  that  he  took 
this  ground  because  he  felt  that  the  money  he 
had  already  advanced  had  been  misapplied  and 
that,  under  the  circumstances,  it  was  the  fath- 
er's duty  to  take  action  and  that  by  withholding 
help  he  could  ultimately  force  his-  brother-in-law 
to  meet  the  obligation  and  release  his  ward. 

Meanwhile  Froebel  spent  the  nine  weeks  of 
his  prison  life  in  the  study  of  Latin,  in  which 
he  felt  himself  to  be  deficient.  He  was  finally 
released  by  deciding  to  give  a  note  of  hand  for 
the  amount  involved,  as  his  father's  heir.  This 
note  his  father  cashed,  on  condition  that  he  re- 
nounce all  further  claim  to  the  parental  estate. 
Being  at  liberty,  he  went  home  at  once,  thus 
giving  up  his  course  after  a  residence  at  Jena 
of  about  eighteen  months.  It  was  in  the  spring- 
time when  he  was  just  nineteen  that  he  came 
back  to  the  parsonage  at  Oberweisbach  and  he 
writes  as  follows:  "Naturally  I  entered  the 
house  with  a  heavy  heart,  a  troubled  mind  and 
an  oppressed  spirit."      He  now  began  to  apply 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


23 


himself  to  literature  and  wished  to  make  a  close 
review  of  all  that  he  bad  learned  and  treasured. 
Happy  in  this  occupation  he  shut  himself  up  in 
his  little  chamber  day  after  day,  with  his  books. 
The  step-mother  suggested  to  the  father  that  it 
would  be  well  to  surprise  him  at  his  work,  be- 
ing suspicious  that  something  was  going  on  that 
ought  to  be  stopped.  And  so  the  father  en- 
tered the rqom  suddenly  one  day,  to  find  Fried- 
rich  writing  at  a  table,  with  a  pile  of  papers  be- 
fore him.  He  looked  through  several  sheets 
and  then  angrily  exclaimed:  "Now  what  non- 
sense is  this?  What  an  aimless  destruction  of 
paper!"  And  the  record  adds:  "No  doubt  all 
his  papers  would  have  been  thrown  into  the  lire 
and  he  banished  from  the  place  had  not  his 
brother  Christoph  been  present  and  moderated 
the  father's  displeasure.  A  little  later  Friedrich 
went  to  an  estate  in  Hildburg  owned  by  a  rela- 
tive of  his  father,  to  become  the  steward's  as- 
sistant, where  he  remained  some  months. 

The  weeks  which  he  had  spent  at  home  had 
revealed  to  him  in  a  stronger  light  than  ever 
before  his  father's  excellent  qualities,  and   he 


deeply  regretted  the  estrangement  between 
them.  Days  and  nights  he  tells  us  that  he  was 
busy  in  his  mind  planning  how  to  write  to  his 
father  in  the  warmest  words  what  was  passing 
within  his  heart,  but  when  he  sat  down  for  that 
purpose  his  courage  sank  and  the  fear  of  arous- 
ing new  and  greater  misapprehensions  made 
him  lay  his  pen  aside. 

A  little  later  the  father  was  taken  sick  and 
sent  for  Friedrich  to  help  in  regulating  his  affairs 
and  correspondence.  The  old  man  died  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1802,  and  in  writing  of  this  event  the 
son  says  :  "My  father  carried  his  anxiety  for 
my  future  in  his  heart  till  his  last  hour.  May 
his  glorified  spirit,  while  I  write  this,  look  down 
on  me  with  pleasure  and  benediction,  and  now 
be  contented  with  the  son  who  loved  him  so 
deeply."  It  was  at  Easter  1802,  that  the 
young  man  left  the  parsonage  at  <  )berweisbach, 
once  more  to  seek  his  future  in  the  wide  world, 
ami  there  is  no  record  that  he  ever  returned 
there  for  any  permanent  stay.  Henceforth  he 
was  the  master  of  his  own  actions. 


1802—1S08— BECOMES  A  TEACHER. 


From  Oberweisbach  Froebel  went  first  to  the 
forest  court  near  Bamberg,  to  take  the  place  of 
court  actuary  or  clerk.  According  to  one 
translation  this  position  was  that  of  treasurer 
of  the  episcopal  department  of  finance.  He 
remained  there  for  nearly  a  year  and  then  went 
to  Bamberg,  which  had  meanwhile  been  ceded 
to  Bavaria.  He  made  the  change  because  he 
thought  that  the  projected  land  survey  under 
the  new  government  would  give  him  employ- 
ment. This  change  resulted  in  his  doing  some 
map  drawing  and  surveying,  but  he  did  not  get 
the  government  appointment  for  which  he  had 
hoped.  Therefore  he  advertised  in  one  of  the 
papers  for  a  position,  at  the  same  time  sending 
tlir  editor  someof  his  architectural  a na geomet- 
rical work  for  use  as  illustrations.  This  ad- 
vertisement brought  him  the  offer  of  a  private 
secretaryship  to  the  president  of  Dewitz  in 
Mecklenberg,  who  lived  at  Oross  Milchow, 
which  he  accepted  in  February,  1804.  His  most 
important  work  there  was  to  reduce  to  order, 
according  to  a  plan  laid  out  by  the  owner,  some 
accounts  that  were  badly  tangled. 


But  this  occupation  became  distasteful  after 
a  little  and  the  young  man  resolved  to  supple- 
ment his  mathematical  attainments  by  study- 
ing architecture,  so  as  to  make  it  his  life  work, 
provided  the  means  could  be  secured.  He  had 
a  friend  who  was  a  private  tutor  at  Frankfort, 
and  he  determined  to  join  him  there  for  the 
purpose  just  named.  Consequently  he  wrote 
to  his  eldest  brother  asking  for  assistance.  In 
due  time  the  answer  came,  but  Froebel  carried 
it  around  with  him  for  hours  without  unsealing 
it,  and  for  days  he  did  not  read  it,  because  he 
felt,  as  he  says,  that  there  was  little  probability 
that  his  brother  could  help  him  in  accomplish- 
ing the  wish  of  his  soul,  and  so  feared  to  find  in 
the  letter  the  destruction  of  his  life.  And  he 
adds  :  "When  aftersome  days  of  alternation 
between  hope  and  doubt  I  finally  opened  the 
letter  I  was  not  a  little  astonished  that  in  the 
beginning  of  it  the  most  heartfelt  sympathy 
was  expressed.  The  further  contents  moved 
me  deeply.  It  contained  the  news  of  my  uncle's 
death  and  the  announcement  that  a  legacy  had 
fallen  to  me." 


24 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


As  a  result  he  established  himself  at  Frank- 
fort in  the  summer  of  1805,  expecting  to  devote 
allhis  energies  to  architecture.  But  this  choice 
was  notalasting  one.  The  student  began  to 
ask  himself,  "How  can  you  work  through  archi- 
tecture for  the  culture  and  ennobling  of  man?" 
In  a  few  weeks  he  met  the  principal  of  a  model 
or  normal  school  which  had  lately  been  opened 
in  the  city.  This  man's  name  was  dinner  and 
he  urged  Froebel  very  strongly  to  give  up  the 
idea  of  being  an  architect  and  to  at  once  be- 
come a  teacher  in  his  school,  a  proposition 
made  on  the  first  evening  of  their  acquaintance, 
because  Froebel  spoke  so  earnestly  about  the 
necessity  of  each  person  getting  into  the  place  in 
this  world  for  which  he  is  best  fitted.  We  are 
told  that  in  the  midst  of  his  spirited  talk  he  fell 
the  touch  of  a  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  that  Dr. 
Gruner  said  :  "My  friend,  you  should  not  be 
an  architect,  you  should  be  a  schoolmaster. 
There  is  a  place  open  in  our  school ;  if  you  agree 
to  it  the  place  is  yours.'' 

Froebel  accepted  this  summons  as  a  call  of 
Providence;  in  August,  1805,hewent  to  Yver- 
dun  in  .Switzerland  to  see  and  hear  Pestalozzi, 
who  was  then  the  great  educational  light  of  the 
day,  the  fountain-head  of  all  new  educational 
ideas.  He  tarried  there  as  an  observer  for  two 
weeks.  He  attended  the  recitations  and  wrote 
out  the  account  of  what  he  saw,  so  that  he  might 
report  it  on  his  return  to  Frankfort,  which  oc- 
curred in  October.  Then  he  began  teaching  in 
good  earnest,  according  to  the  new  plans,  his 
branches  being  arithmetic,  drawing,  geometry 
and  the  German  language.  There  were  two  hun- 
dred children  in  the  school,  with  four  regularly- 
appointed  and  nine  private  teachers.  His  first 
venture,  he  being  then  in  his  twenty-fourth 
year,  was  with  a  class  of  thirty  or  forty  boys, 
between  the  ages  of  nine  and  eleven. 

An  extract  from  a  letter  written  to  his  brother 
Christoph  at  this  time  shows  conclusively  the 
spirit  with  Avhich  he  entered  into  the  work  :  ••! 
must  tell  you  candidly  that  my  duties  in  the 
school  are  prodigiously  exacting.  Even  in  the 
first,  hour  they  did  not  seem  strange  tome.  It 
appeared  to  me  as  if  I  had  already  been  a 
teacher  and  was  born  to  it.  I  cannot  sketch  my 
strange  observations  in  all  their  fullness.  Jt 
is  plain  to  me  now  that  I  was  really  lifted  for 
no  other  calling,  and  yet  I  must  tell  you  that 
never  in  my  life  had  I  thought  to  become  a 
teacher.      In  the  hours  of  instruction  I  feel  my- 


self as  truly  in  my  element  as  the  fish  in  the 
water  or  the  bird  in  the  air.  You  cannot  think 
how  pleasantly  the  time  passes.  I  love  the 
children  so  heartily  that  I  am  continually  long- 
ing to  see  them  again.  You  should  see  me 
sometimes  when  I  am  busy;  you  would  truly 
rejoice  over  my  happiness.  I  have  certainly 
this  pure  enjoyment  of  the  consciousness  of 
the  high  aims  of  my  work,  the  cultivation  of 
the  human  soul  to  thank,  as  well  as  the  hearty 
love  ( if  the  children  with  which  they  reward  me." 

At  another  time,  speaking  of  those  days,  he 
said:  k,I  was  inexpressibly  happy — from  the 
first  moment  I  felt  complete  consecration.  What 
many-sided  efforts  !  What  abundant  activity  ! 
I  nmstgive  advice,  explanation,  interpretation, 
decision  over  so  many  things  on  which  it  had 
never  been  necessary  for  me  to  think  definitely. 
I  was  alone  in  a  strange  city.  I  sought  my  an- 
swer therefore  where  I  had  so  often  found  it,  in 
niyr  own  mind,  in  life  and  in  nature.  And  from 
them  came  voices  which  revealed  to  me  how  ex- 
cellent for  my  own  culture  had  been  my  toil- 
some development,  for  I  received  from  out  the 
depths  of  the  mind, of  life  and  of  nature,  answers 
which  were  not  only  satisfactory,  but  which 
also,  through  their  simplicity  and  undoubted 
accuracy,  possessed  a  youthful  newness  and 
vigor  which  produced  a  quickening  and  ani- 
mating effect."  While  entertaining  such  ideas 
how  could  Froebel  torment  his  pupils  with  the 
system  of  teaching  which  had  so  vexed  and 
tortured  him  when  a  boy?  He  was  forced  for 
himself  and  for  them  to  break  a  new  road,  to 
create  a  new  system  of  instruction.  He  was 
now  in  a  position  not  only  to  make  his  experi- 
ments freely,  but  was  under  obligation  to  map 
out  original  pedagogical  work. 

Oue  of  his  first  suggestions  to  his  fellow 
teachers  along  this  line  of  new  educational  en- 
deavor was  that  they  should  undertake  weekly 
walks  with  the  pupils,  as  a  direct  aid  in  pur- 
suing the  particular  study  which  was  under 
consideration  at  the  time.  One  teacher  should 
take  his  class  out  with  reference  to  botany, 
another  for  the  investigation  of  zoology  and  a 
third  as  a  help  in  acquiring  knowledge  of  geog- 
raphy or  for  gaining  new  lessons  in  horticul- 
ture. In  many  respects  he  adopted  the  plans 
already  proposed  by  Pestalozzi,  lint  with  im- 
portant variations.  Pestalozzi  held,  for  in- 
stance, that  the  study  of  geography  need  not  in 
the  least  be  associated  with  the  child's  observa- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


25 


lions,  but  should  have  for  its  starting-point  the 
bottom  of  the  sea.  ButFroebel  first  talked  with 
his  pupils  about  the  house  in -which  they  found 
themselves,  advancing  from  the  house  to  the 
street  and  the  city  in  general,  and  then  out  into 
the  world  at  large.  Regarding  this  method,  he 
says:  "I  took  everything  according  to  nature 
and  drew  the  picture  immediately,  diminished 
in  size,  on  an  even  surface  of  ground  or  sand 
chosen  for  the  purpose."  Do  we  in  these  words 
catch  the  first  suggestion  of  the  sand  modeling 
which  forms  such  an  important  part  of  the 
geographical  instruction  of  our  day?  By  way 
of  further  explanation,  Froebeladds  :  "When 
the  picture  was  firmly  grasped  and  imprinted 
we  drew  it  in  school  on  a  horizontal  blackboard. 
It  was  first  sketched  by  the  teacher  and  pupil, 
then  made  an  exercise  for  every  scholar.  Our 
representation  of  the  earth's  surface  had  at 
first  a  spherical  form  like  the  apparent  horizon." 
His  method  won  the  approbation  of  the  teach- 
ers associated  with  him  and  also  of  the  chil- 
dren's parents,  owing  to  the  excellent  results 
shown  at  the  first  public  examination  of  the 
school. 

In  addition  to  his  school  duties  he  gave  in- 
struction for'two  hours  to  three  children  in  a 
private  family  named  Von  Holzhausen,  who 
lived  on  the  plains  near  Frankfort,  spending 
a  good  deal  of  his  time  with  his  pupils  in  the 
open  air  and  in  getting  acquainted  with  the 
plant  world. 

In  July,  1807,  he  left  the  school  to  become 
the  regular  teacher  of  the  three  boys  just  men- 
tioned, under  the  contract  which  stipulated 
that  he  need  never  be  obliged  to  live  with  his 
pupils  in  the  city,  and  also  that  they  should  be 
committed  to  his  care  without  reservation.  Of 
this  peri<  >d  he  writes  :  "My  life  at  first  with  my 
pupils  was  very  circumscribed.  It  consisted 
of  living  and  walking  in  the  open  air.  Cut  off 
from  the  influence  of  a  city  education,  I  did 
not  yet  venture  to  introduce  the  simple  life 
of  nature  into  the  sphere  of  education.  My 
younger  pupils  themselves  taught  me  and  guided 
me  to  that.  In  the  following  year  this  life  with 
my  pupils  was  especially  roused  and  animated, 
when  the  father  assigned  them  a  piece  of  field 
for  a  garden,  which  Ave  cultivated  in  common. 
Their  highest  joy  was  to  give  their  parents  and 
me  fruits  from  their  garden.  Oh,  how  their  eyes 
glistened  when  they  could  do  it  !  Beautiful 
plants  and  little  shrubs  from  the  field,  the  great 


garden  of  God,  were  planted  and  cared  for  in 
the  little  gardens  of  the  children." 

"After  that  time  my  youthful  life, as  I  mental- 
ly reviewed  it,  did  not  appear  to  me  so  entirely 
useless.  I  learned  what  a  very  different  thing 
is  the  care  of  a  plant,  whether  one  has  seen 
and  watched  its  natural  life  at  the  different 
epochs  of  its  unfolding  or  if  he  has  always 
stood  far  from  nature.  A  little  child  that  freely 
and  voluntarily  seeks  flowers  and  cherishes  and 
cares  for  them  in  order  to  wind  them  into  a 
bouquet  for  parents  or  teachers  cannot  be  a  bad 
child  or  become  a  bad  man.  Such  a  child  can 
easily  be  led  to  the  love  and  to  a  knowledge  of 
his  father,   God,  who  gives  him  such  gifts." 

The  above  passage  is  worthy  of  a  second  read- 
ing, because  it  illustrates  the  fact  that  although 
Frcebel  was  at  times  very  obscure  in  his  attempts 
to  give  expression  to  his  ideas  he  was,  never- 
theless, able  on  occasions  to  clothe  his  thought 
with  a  clearness  and  beauty  which  challenges 
admiration. 

In  those  days  which  Frcebel  spent  with  his 
pupils  in  the  little  country  house  that  had  been 
fitted  up  for  them  he  sought  always  to  combine 
labor  with  instruction  and  when  the  boys  were 
busy  with  hatchet  and  spade,  with  oar  or  fishing 
tackle,  he  made  every  occupation  serviceable  to 
awaken  their  desire  for  knowledge.  Andwe 
are  told  that  the  regular  and  moderate  method 
of  living  which  they  followed  banished  all  the 
indolence  and  helpless  dependence  of  the  chil- 
dren, so  that  in  a  short  time  they  improved 
wonderfully  in  health  and  strength  and  the 
keenness  with  which  they  enjoyed  life  was 
greatly  increased. 

When,  however,  autumn  approached,  with  its 
dark  days,  long  evenings  and  bad  weather,  con- 
siderable time  was  given  to  the  practice  of 
music  and  drawing.  But  there  were  still  un- 
occupied hours  which  in  summer  had  been  de- 
voted to  rural  occupations.  How  could  they 
be  spent  pleasantly  and  profitably  ?  Referring 
to  his  experience  at  this  time,  Froebel  says  : 
w  •  When  my  pupils  came  to  me  with  some  new  de- 
mand I  asked  myself,  'What  did  you  do  when 
a  boy?  What  happened  to  you  to  quicken 
your  impulse  for  activity  and  representation? 
By  what  means  was  this  impulse  at  that  age 
most  fitly  satisfied?'  Then  out  of  my  earliest 
boyhood  something  came  to  me  which  gave  to 
me  at  that  moment  all  that  I  needed.  It  was 
the  simple  art  of  imprinting,  on  smooth  paper, 


26 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


signs  and  forms  by  regular  lines."  He  also  re- 
membered how  lie  had  tried  to  keep  himself 
busy  with  all  kinds  of  braided  work  from  paper 
and  binding  twine,  and  he  resolved  to  try  this 
occupati<  hi  with  the  boys. 

In  carrying  out  this  plan  he  was  brought  at 
once  to  a  realizing  sense  of  the  crudeness  with 
which  the  unpraetieed  hand  does  its  work,  how 
poorly  the  will  is  master  of  the  finger-ends  un- 
der such  circumstances,  and  how  inaccurately 
the  eve  observes.  Consequently  he  designed 
a  few  preparatory  exercises  for  training  the 
hand  and  eye,  so  that  the  boys  could  under- 
take their  pasteboard  work.  He  began  with 
the  folding  and  the  separating  and  pasting  of 
papers.  He  also  let  them  work  with  twine,  till 
they  became  experts  in  making  nets  and  game 
bags.  In  these  occupations  they  had  to  bring 
into  practice  what  they  had  learned  in  draw- 
ing, arithmetic  and  geometry.  Later  in  the 
season  they  did  some  work  in  wood. 


Thus  early  in  his  career  we  catch  the  genu 
of  the  kindergarten  thought  which  dominated 
Froebel's  life  in  after  years.  AVe  are  also  told 
that  the  little  house  where  he  and  his  young 
people  worked  is  still  preserved  as  a  token  of 
remembrance  and  contains  a  room  in  which 
everything  is  left  just  as  it  appeared  in  those 
days.  The  mother  of  the  three  boys  preserved 
every  memorial  of  Froebel  with  religions  venera- 
tion during  his  lifetime,  while  he  in  turn  held 
her  in  high  esteem,  so  that  for  a  long  period 
a  correspondence  was  kept  up  between  them. 
After  a  year  of  this  special  work  as  a  private 
tutor  Froebel  became  anxious  to  secure  a  wider 
development  for  himself  and  his  pupils  than 
country  life  afforded,  and  so,  in  the  summer  of 
L 808,  he  took  them  to  Pestalozzi's  school  at 
Yverdau,  where  he  remained  with  them  for  two 
years,  acting  meanwhile  as  pupil  and  teacher, 
being  resolute  in  his  determination  to  secure  a 
pedagogical  education. 


180S—1810— RELATIONS  WITH  PESTALOZZI. 


The  records  of  Froebel's  life  at  Yverdun  are 
meager,  much  being  left  to  the  reader's  imagi- 
nation. We  know  that  he  tried  on  his  arrival 
to  secure  quarters  for  himself  andhis pupils  in 
the  main  school  building,  or  castle  as  it  was 
sometimes  called.  Failing  in  this,  the  qua  rtette 
obtained  lodgings  in  an  adjoining  dwelling, tak- 
ing their  meals  with  the  other  students  and 
sharing  in  their  instruction.  Froebel  tells  us 
that  during  this  periodhewas  both  teacher  and 
scholar,  educator  and  pupil.  He  made  it  his 
business  to  talk  with  Pestalozzi  regarding  every 
subject  that  came  up  from  its  first  point  of 
connection,  so  that  he  might  understand  it  from 
the  foundation.  And  he  adds  :  "I  soon  felt  the 
need  of  unity  of  endeavor  in  means  and  end. 
Therefore  I  sought  to  gain  the  highest  insight 
into  everything.  I  was  pupil  in  all  subjects, 
numbers, form,  singing,  reading,  drawing,  lan- 
guage, geography,  natural  science,  dead  lan- 
guages, etc.  In  what  was  ottered  for  youthful 
life,  for  comprehensive  teaching,  for  higher 
instinct  ion  I.  missed  that  satisfying  of  the 
human  being,  the  essence  of  the  subject.  Pes- 
talozzi's views  were  very  universal,  and,  as  ex- 
perience taught,  only  awakening  to  those  al- 
ready grounded  in  the  right.  In  connection 
with  the    subjects    taught,   the  instruction   in 


language  struck  me  first  in  its  great  imperfec- 
tion, arbitrariness  and  lifelessness.  During 
the  time  spent  at  Yverdun  the  discovery  of  a 
satisfying  method  of  teaching  the  mother 
tongue  occupied  me  especially. 

I  proceeded  from  the  following  considera- 
tions :  Language  is  the  image,  the  representa- 
tion of  a  world,  and  is  related  to  the  outer 
world  through  articulately  formed  tones ;  if  I 
wish  properly  to  represent  a  thing  I  must  know 
the  original  according  to  its  character.  The 
outer  world  has  objects;  I  must  also  have  a 
decided  form,  a  decided  word  for  the  object. 
The  objects,  however,  show  qualities ;  lan- 
guage must,  therefore,  have  quality  words  in 
its  construction.  These  qualities  are  neces- 
sarily bound  up  with  the  objects  ;  qualities  of 
being,  having  and  becoming." 

Containing  the  story  of  his  life  at  Yverdun. 
Froebel  says  that  he  learned  there  to  recognize 
boyish  play  in  the  free  air,  in  its  power,  devel- 
oping ami  strengthening  spirit,  disposition  and 
body.  In  the  plays  which  were  there  carried 
on  and  with  what  was  connected  with  them,  he 
discovered  the  chief  source  of  the  moral 
strength  of  the  young  people  in  the  institution. 
He  says  that  at  that  time  the  higher  symbolical 
meaning  of  play  had  not  yet  been  opened  to 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


27 


him,  so  that  lie  could  only  regard  it  as  a  moral 
power  for  body  and  mind.  The  walks  which 
the  students  took  had  an  equally  good  influence 
with  the  plays,  particularly  those  taken  in  the 
company  of  Pestalozzi.  In  summing  up  the 
results  secured  by  his  stay  at  Yverdun  Frcebel 
writes  :  "There  is  no  question  that  Pfistalozzi's 
public  and  especially  his  evening  reflections, 
in  which  he  liked  to  exert  himself  to  awaken 
and  unfold  the  ideal  of  n<  >1  >le  manhood  and  t  rue 
human  love,  contributed  most  essentially  to  the 
development  of  the  inner  life.  On  the  Avhole, 
I  spent  in  Yverdun  an  inspiring,  grand,  and 
for  my  life,  decisive  time." 

From  another  account  of  this  period  we  get. 
first  a  clear  idea  of  what  Frcebel  hoped  and  ex- 
pected to  find  in  Pestalozzi's  teachings,  and 
then  the  particulars  wherein  he  was  disap- 
pointed. "If  I  comprehend  what  I  sought 
and  expected  there."  writes  Frcebel,  referring 
to  Yverdun,  "it  was  a  robust  inner  life,  which 
should  find  utterance  in  many  ways  in  creative 
acts;  a  healthy  and  strong  life  of  child  ami 
youth  that  should  answer  all  the  requirements 
for  the  development  of  body  and  soul.  I 
thought  that  Pestalozzi  must  be  the  arteries 
and  central  point  of  all  this  vitality  and  effort, 
and  out  from  this  focus  in  all  directions  the  life 
of  the  youth,  as  of  the  teacher,  must  be  pene- 
trated. With  such  high-strung  expectations  I 
arrived  at  Yverdun,  and  I  doubted  not  that 
I  should  find  there  the  solution  of  all  my 
questions." 

In  a  certain  sense,  this  same  narrative  adds, 
Froebelwas  not  deceived  in  his  expectations. 
Pestalozzi  did  indeed  form  the  shining  center 
of  his  circle  and  from  his  warm  heart  radiated 
light  and  life.  But  after  a  little  Frcebel,  who 
had  nothing  to  do  but  observe,  investigate  and 
examine  what  was  being  done,  began  to  dis- 
cover more  and  more  weakness  in  the  methods 
which  were  practical,  methods  that  produced 
desirable  results  only  through  the  inspiring 
mind  of  Pestalozzi,  results  that  could  have 
been  reached  by  other  means  quite  as  well,  and 
perhaps  better.  Meanwhile  the  strength  of  his 
love  and  self-sacrificing  benevolence  replaced 
in  many  respects  the  want  of  the  clearness, 
discretion  and  firmness  which  he  lacked. 

As  Frcebel  lingered  at  Yverdun  month  after 
month  his  aims  became  plainer  to  him  and  he 
gained  a  deeper  insight  of  the  early  require- 
ments and  laws  of  the  child's  development  than 


Pestalozzi  possessed.  This  fact,  however,  did 
not  prevent  him  from  esteeming  the  country 
fortunate  where  such  a  man  as  Pestalozzi  lived 
and  worked,  and  he  felt  anxious  to  render  him 
all  the  honor  which  was  his  due  and  also  to 
sound  his  praise  in  public.  But  he  became 
thoroughly  convinced  that  the  foundations  of 
popular  education  for  real  life  must  be  fixed  on 
some  basis  more  natural,  more  anthropological 
than  any  which  Pestalozzi  could  offer. 

When  Frcebel  and  his  pupils  left  the  sehool 
the  management  had  reached  a  crisis,  so  that 
everything  fell  into  disorder,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  accept  the  conviction  that  the  esteemed  and 
amiable  Pestalozzi  was  surrounded  by  false 
friends  and  badly  supported,  and  that  his  work 
however  excellent  in  itself ,  lacked  a  sufficient- 
ly healthful  vitality  to  set  forth  and  prove  itself 
a  permanent  reform  in  popular  education. 

In  dwelling  on  this  part  of  Frcebel' s  life  we 
have  taken  pains  to  record  as  fully  as  possible 
his  impressions  of  Pestalozzi  which  were  gained 
through  two  years  of  daily  intercourse  with  him, 
because  many  people  of  the  presentday,  some 
of  whom  are  regarded  as  eminent  educators, 
persistently  maintain  that  in  publishing  to  the 
world  the  kindergarten  system  of  infantile 
education  Fnebel  really  originated  very  little, 
and  that  all  the  ideas  which  he  put  forth  that 
have  since  proved  of  any  value  were  derived 
from  Pestalozzi.  While  there  is  neither  room 
nor  disposition  for  us  to  argue  this  question 
here,  we  advise  all  students  of  the  kindergarten 
system  to  undertake  to  settle  it  for  themselves. 
Let  them  study,  as  they  have  opportunity,  the 
philosophy  of  both  men,  as  it  is  outlined  in 
their  writings,  and  trace  out  the  results  as  they 
appear  in  the  educational  held  to-day.  Then 
each  one  will  be  competent  to  decide  whether 
through  native  ability  and  the  practical  train- 
ing of  experience  it  was  possible  for  Pestalozzi 
to  transmit  to  Frcebel  anything  on  which  he 
could  evolve  what  the  world  calls  in  our  day 
the  kindergarten  system. 

The  reader  of  these  lines  is  asked  always  to 
bear  in  mind  that  the  purpose  of  the  present 
narrative  is  to  give  the  well-accepted  facts  of 
Frcebel's  life  in  the  order  in  which  they  oc- 
curred, with  as  little  embellishment  as  possible. 
But  if  at  this  particular  point  we  may  lie  al- 
lowed an  opinion  as  to  what  constitutes  the 
radical  ami  essential  difference  between  the 
philosophy  of  Frcebel  and  thai   of   Pestalozzi, 


28 


Ql  ARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


it  is  the  difference  between  self-activity  and  imi- 
tation. The  latter  is  always  preaching  what  we 
may  term  the  gospel  of  imitation,  always  teach- 
ing the  child  to  imitate  what  the  teacher  has 
done  ;  on  the  other  hand  the  kindergarten  sys- 
tem inculcates  the  gospel  of  originality  by  pre- 
senting certain  basal  principles  which  must  be 
followed,  but  which  when  mastered  by  the  pupil 
are  sure  to  stimulate  him  to  original  work. 
Pestalozzi  was  helpful  to  Froebel  at  a  time  when 


he  most  needed  pedagogical  enlightenment, 
but  to  assert  that  Froebel  is  merely  the  inter- 
preter of  Pestalozzi  is  to  make  a  claim  which 
is  not  to  be  lightly  accepted  without  analytical 
and  conclusive  proof. 

Returning  to  Frankfort  in  1810  Froebel  con- 
tinued his  engagement  as  private  tutor  in  the 
Yon  Holzhausen  family  for  a  year  longer,  and 
then  resumed  his  University  studies  with  much 
satisfaction  to  himself. 


ii  —  1 8 1 3 — FINAL 


UNIVERSITY  STUDIES. 


Ix  the  summer  of  1811,  being  twenty-nine 
3Tears  old,  Froebel  entered  the  University  at- 
Gottingen,  more  than  ten  years  after  lie  had  re- 
linquished student  life  at  Jena.  At  Gottingen 
he  at  once  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  lan- 
guages, beginning  with  Hebrew  and  Arabic, 
with  a  view  of  also  paying  some  attention  to 
the  Indian  and  Persian.  He  also  devoted  a 
certain  amount  of  time  to  Greek  and  dipped 
into  the  old  favorites,  physics,  chemistry,  min- 
eralogy and  natural  history  in  general  with  re- 
newed ardor,  and  also  astronomy.  He  enjoyed 
himself  greatly  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  un- 
der these  new  conditions  and  lived  alone  that 
nothing  might  interfere  with  his  chosen  work. 
It  was  his  habit  to  walk  about  the  beautiful  sub- 
urbs of  the  city  during  the  latter  part  of  the  af- 
ternoon, "in  order  to  be  greeted  by  the  friendly 
rays  of  the  sinking  sun,"  and  these  rambles 
were  sometimes   extended  till  near  midnight. 

He  had  been  at  Gottingen  but  a  few  weeks, 
however,  when  his  chronic  lack  of  funds  lie- 
came  once  more  a  serious  matter  and  he  made 
up  his  miud  that  he  must  turn  his  attention  to 
literary  work  as  a  help  in  his  support.  His 
apprehensions  were  relieved,  however,  by  the 
receipt  of  a  legacy  from  his  mother's  sister 
which  made  it  possible  for  him  to  continue  his 
studies  without  interruption.  He  was  particu- 
larly interested  in  the  lectures  on  mineralogy, 
which  gave  him  an  insight  into  the  fundamental 
forms  of  crystals  and  other  minerals.  For  us 
to  trace  the  fruits  of  this  study  in  the  kinder- 
garten system  as  Froebel  has  handed  it  down 
to  us  is  not  difficult. 

What  he  learned  at  Gottingen  stimulated  his 
ambition  to  go  to  Berlin  and  continue  his  in- 
vestigations of  mineralogy,  geology,  crystallog- 


raphy and  their  laws,  at  the  college  of  Prof. 
Weiss,  who  was  a  famous  instructor  in  those 
branches.  He  also  resolved  to  make  the  change 
because  he  hoped  that  Berlin  would  afford  1  let- 
ter opportunities  for  securing  a  place  as  tutor, 
as  the  legacy  just  mentioned  would  not  support 
him  formany  months.  Consequently  he  went 
to  Berlin  in  October,  1812,  at  once  devoting 
himself  with  undiminished  enthusiasm  to  the 
subjects  which  he  loved  and  at  the  same  time 
becoming  instructor  in  a  distinguished  private 
school. 

The  months  of  fall  and  winter  passed  quickly 
and  in  the  early  spring  the  throb  of  the  war 
drum  cut  short,  almost  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  his  University  course,  as  it  has  done  that 
of  many  noble  men  in  other  lands  and  times. 

Right  here,  if  we  stop  for  a  moment  to  re- 
view the  years  which  Froebel  spent  within  col- 
lege walls  we  must  admit  that  he  acquired  a 
good  education,  although  it  was  gained  under 
difficulties.  Eighteen  months  at  Jena,  a  year 
at  Gottingen,  six  months  at  Berlin,  three  Uni- 
versity years  in  all,  spread  over  a  period  of 
fourteen,  this  was  his  peculiar  college  course, 
supplemented  with  a  good  many  months  of 
professional  study.  As  a  result  he  was  thorough- 
ly grounded  in  mathematics,  had  an  expert 
knowledge  of  natural  history  and  a  training  in 
languages  which  was  respectable,  lie  seems 
to  have  been  a  faithful  student, although  there 
is  little  evidence  that  ho  was  a  brilliant  scholar. 
In  addition  to  the  learning  of  the  schools  he 
also  secured  the  practical  experience  of  a  drafts- 
man and  surveyor,  and  taken  together,  the 
circumstances  of  his  life,  as  thus  far  recorded, 
particularly  fitted  him  to  be  the  founder  of  the 
kindergarten  svstem . 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 

1813— 1814— A  SOLDIER  OF  THE  LEGION. 


29 


In  the  spring  of  1813,  Freidrich  Froebel,  a 
student  of  the  natural  sciences  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Berlin,  aged  thirty-one  ,n  enlisted  at 
Dresden  as  a  private  in  the  Lutzow  corps  of  the 
German  army,  under  a  call  of  the  king  for  the 
nation  to  take  up  arms  against  Napoleon.  In 
writing  of  that  time Georg Ebers,  the  novelist, 
says,  "The  snow  drops  which  bloomed  during 
the  March  days  of  1813  ushered  in  the  long- 
desired  day  of  freedom,  and  the  call  'to  arms' 
found  the  loudest  echo  in  the  hearts  of  the 
students." 

At  this  point  in  the  narrative  we  may,  per- 
haps, be  pardoned  for  remarking  that  the  critics 
of  Froebel  have  always  delighted  to  embellish 
certain  allegations  against  him  with  such  met- 
aphors of  ridicule  and  invective  as  they  could 
command.  One  of  the  principal  charges  is  that 
of  effeminacy,  which,  it  must  be  confessed, 
is  somewhat  1  >orne  out  by  several  of  his  pictures 
which  are  on  the  market  and  certain  charac- 
teristics of  dress  which  he  affected.  "While 
his  admirers  might  be  glad  to  eliminate  these 
matters  from  his  private  history,  if  they  could, 
it  is  nevertheless  true  that  the  world  will  for- 
give a  man  for  parting  his  hair  in  the  middle, 
if  his  thoughts  and  acts  are  such  as  to  render 
him  immortal. 

That  Froebel  had  a  realizing  sense  of  wo- 
man's wonderful  possibilities  in  the  training  of 
young  children,  which  amounted  to  an  inspira- 
tion, is  not  to  be  denied.  That  he  delighted  in 
gathering  the  mothers  about  him  in  constant 
attempts  to  give  them  some  inkling  of  those 
possibilities  and  that  he  spent  the  strength  of 
his  last  years  informing  what  we  now  call  kin- 
dergarten training  classes  is  well-known  to  all 
who  are  familiar  with  his  history.  That  the  little 
children  loved  him  and  hung  about  him  all  his 
days  is  always  admitted.  But  these  things  do 
not  make  a  man  effeminate.  Some  of  them 
were  characteristics  of  the  Son  of  Man  who 
dwelt  in  Palestine  nearly  two  thousand  years 
ago.  There  was  no  charge  of  effeminacy  filed 
against  Private  Friedrich  Froebel  while  lie  wore 
the  uniform  of  the  Lutzow  Jagers  or  lay  in  the 
trenches  and  coolly  calculated  the  velocity  of 
the  bullets  whizzing  over  his  head  from  *  the 
armies  of    Napoleon,  as  to  how   much  faster 


those  which  came  from  the  muskets  were  flying 
than  those  discharged  from  the  flintlocks. 

He  put  aside  every  ambition ,  took  every  risk 
of  life  and  limb,  health  and  happiness,  for  the 
honor  of  the  flag  which  represented  to  him  the 
head  and  front  of  civilization,  the  one  country 
which  was  worth  living  or  dying  for,  as  destiny 
might  decide.  As  to  his  motives  in  entering 
the  army, he  says  :  "It  was  the  feeling  and  con- 
sciousness of  the  ideal  Germany  that  I  re- 
spected as  something  high  and  holy  in  my 
spirit.  Moreover, the  firmness  with  which  I  held 
to  my  educational  career  decided  me.  Although 
J  could  not  really  say  that  I  had  a  fatherland, 
as  I  am  not  a  Prussian,  it  must  happen  that 
every  boy,  that  every  child  who  should  later 
be  instructed  by  me  would  have  a  fatherland 
and  that  fatherland  now  demanded  protection 
when  the  child  himself  could  not  defend  it.  I 
could  not  possibly  think  how  a  young  man, 
capable  of  bearing  arms,  could  become  the 
teacher  of  children  whose  country  he  had  not 
defended  with  his  life  blood.  The  summons  to 
war  appeared  to  me  a  sign  of  the  common  need 
of  man,  of  the  country,  of  the  time  in  which  I 
lived,  and  I  felt  that  it  would  be  unworthy  and 
unmanly  not  to  struggle  for  the  common  neces- 
sity of  the  people  among  whom  one  lives,  not 
to  bear  a  part  toward  repelling  a  common 
danger.  Every  consideration  was  secondary 
to  these  considerations,  even  that  which  grew 
out  of  my  bodily  constitution,  too  feeble  for 
such  a  life."  Truly  sentiments  like  these 
have  been  regarded  in  all  ages  as  belonging  to 
"the  stuff  that  heroes  are  made  of." 

Froebel  joined  the  infantry  division  of  the 
Lutzow  corps,  "Lutzow's  Wild,  Bold  Troop," 
commonly  known  as  the  "Lutzow  Jagers,"  and 
marched  from  Dresden,  April  11,  1813.  This 
volunteer  organization  had  been  formed  dur- 
ing the  previous  month  by  Baron  Yon  Lutzow, 
his  instructions  being  "to  harass  the  enemy  by 
constant  skirmishes  and  to  encourage  the 
smaller  German  states  to  rise  against  the  ty- 
rant Napoleon.  The  corps  became  celebrated 
for  swift,  dashing  exploits  in  small  bodies. 
Froebel  seems  to  have  been  in  the  main  body 
and  to  have  seen  but  little  of  the  more  active 
duties  of  the  regiment." 


30 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITK  )X 


Owing  to  the  seclusion  of  his  life  in  the 
University  his  comrades  were  in  the  beginning 
of  the  campaign  all  strangers  to  him,  although 
many  of  them  were  Berlin  students.  At  the 
end  of  the  first  morning's  march  the  sergeant 
introduced  him  to  a  divinity  student  named 
Heinrich  Langethal,  horn  at  Erfurt,  Septem- 
ber 3,  17D2.  A  little  later  Langethal  in  turn 
presented  his  friend,  Wilhelm  Middendorf, 
also  a  divinity  student,  and  a  life-long  inti- 
macy began  between  the  three,  then  and  there. 
Middendorf  was  a  Thuringian,  having  been 
born  in  Westphalia,  September  20,171)3.  Aside 
from  his  connection  with  Froebel  his  history 
was  not  eventful.   Of  him  Dr.  Ebers  writes  : — 

"The  source  of  Middendorf's  greatness  in 
the  sphere  where  life  and  his  own  choice  had 
placed  him  may  even  be  imputed  to  him  as  a 
fault.  He,  the  most  enthusiastic  of  all  Froebel' s 
disciples,  remained  to  his  life's  end  a  lovable 
child,  in  whom  the  powers  of  a  rich  poetic  soul 
surpassed  those  of  the  thoughtful,  well- trained 
man.  He  would  have  been  ill-adapted  to  any 
practical  position,  but  no  one  could  be  better 
suited  to  enter  into  the  soul-life  of  young  hu- 
man beings  and  to  cherish  and  ennoble  them." 

Langethal  finished  his  grammar  school 
studies  at  Erfurt  and  then  entered  the  Uni- 
versity at  Berlin,  where  he  proved  himself  a 
scholar  of  unusual  talent.  Midway  in  his  ca- 
reer there  the  elevation  of  the  Prussian  nation 
led  him  into  the  war.  He  was  advised  that  lie 
must  not  write  home  to  his  father  of  his  in- 
tention, because  if  the  letter  should  be  inter- 
cepted his  act  would  be  regarded  as  high 
treason  by  the  French  authorities  Avho  held  sway 
at  Erfurt.  When  asked  how  he  would  procure 
the  uniform  of  the  black  Jagers,he  answered  : 
"The  cape  of  my  coat  will  supply  the  trousers. 
I  can  have  a  red  collar  put  on  my  cloak,  my 
coat  can  be  dyed  black  and  turned  into  a  uni- 
form, and  I  have  a  hanger."  He  had  a  daunt- 
less spirit  that  knew  no  such  word  as  failure. 

The  first  halt  of  the  corps  came  at  Meissen, 
at  the  close  of  a  beautiful  spring  day,  when  the 
students  who  were  in  the  command  gathered 
together  about  a  long  table  in  an  open  space 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  Elbe,  where  they 
greeted  and  pledged  each  other  with  old 
Meissen  wine.  The  three  young  men  just 
named  lingered  at  the  table  till  midnight,  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  a  friendship  that  has 
since  become  immortal,  and  the  next  morning 


they  went  together  to  examine  the  city's  beau- 
tiful cathedral.  To  this  circle  Bauer,  later 
an  instructor  in  a  Berlin  grammar  school,  was 
subsequently  admitted,  and  to  those  three  men 
Froebel  limited  all  intimate  association  during 
the  campaign. 

In  the  fragmentary  autobiography  which 
Froebel  some  years  later  prepared  for  the  Duke 
of  Meiningen  he  speaks  of  these  days  as  fol- 
lows :  "My  principal  care  was  to  improve  my- 
self in  my  present  calling,  and  so  one  of  my 
endeavors  was  to  make  clear  to  myself  the 
inner  necessity  and  the  connection  of  demands 
of  service  and  drill ;  it  came  to  me  very  soon 
and  easily  from  the  mathematical,  physical 
side,  and  strengthened  me  against  many  little 
reprimands  which  easily  befell  others  when 
they  thought  this  or  that  command  could  lie 
omitted,  as  too  trifling."  Another  writer 
puts  the  same  idea  in  these  words  :  "The 
peculiarly  regular  and  orderly  inclination  of  his 
mind  made  him  so  accurate  in  all  points  of  his 
service  that  he  never  gave  cause  for  the  little 
unpleasantness  which  befell  most  raw  recruits." 

These  extracts  become  of  importance  when 
considered  in  the  light  of  some  modern  criti- 
cism which  confidently  asserts  that  Froebel 
could  not  have  made  a  good  soldier  because  he 
had  no  natural  aptitude  for  such  service.  It 
is  evident  that  he  tried  to  adapt  himself  to  the 
needs  of  the  hour  and  his  surroundings,  no 
matter  how  great  the  personal  inconvenience. 
That  he  was  a  good  soldier,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
was  fully  attested  by  his  promotion  to  be  an 
officer  iu  1815,  although  he  was  not  allowed 
the  opportunity  to  act  in  such  a  capacity. 

When  the  corps  reached  Havelburg  there  was 
a  long  halt,  occasioned  by  an  armistice,  lasting 
from  June  4  to  August  10,  during  which  the 
four  friends  sought  to  be  together  as  much  as 
possible.  The  life  of  the  camp  was  especially 
pleasant  to  Froebel,  he  says,  because  it  made 
many  facts  of  history  clear  to  him.  He  lived 
in  nature  as  much  as  he  could,  and  we  are  told 
that  "on  the  march,  under  the  hottest  July  sun, 
when  most  of  the  men  were  trying  to  get  rid 
of  everything  which  they  could  do  without,  so 
as  to  make  their  knapsacks  lighter,  Froebel  col- 
lected all  kinds  of  stones,  plants  and  mosses 
for  his  study  of  nature  and  filled  his  knapsack 
with  them.  At  the  bivouac  fire  he  brought  out 
his  treasures  to  serve  as  the  subject  of  con- 
versation on  natural  history." 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


31 


There  has  always  1  teen  some  discussion  as  to 
how  far  Froebel  shared  in  the  hostilities  of  this 
campaign.  Bowen  in  his  biography  says  that 
of  actual  fighting  his  regiment  saw  nothing, 
a  statement  that  is  evidently  without  founda- 
tion. Froebel  modestly  speaks  of  the  "few 
1  mttles  in  which  we  took  part."  There  can  be 
no  question,  however,  that  Froebel  found  time 
for  the  active  cultivation  of  the  practical  study 
of  natural  history  and  the  cementing  of  a 
friendship  with  Middendorf,  Langethal  and 
Bauer.  At  times  the  four  friends  indulged  in 
pedagogical  and  philosophical  discussions 
which  were  greatly  to  their  mutual  edification. 
"In  this  way,"  writes  Froebel,  "we  passed,  at 
least  I  did,  our  war  life  as  a  dream.  Now  and 
then,  at  Leipzig,  at  Dalenburg,  at  Bremen,  at 
Berlin,  Ave  seemed  to  wake  up  ;  but  soon  sank 
back  into  feeble  dreaminess  again." 

The  Lutzow  corps  marched  thi'ough  that 
section  of  Germany  known  as  the  Mark  of 
Brandenburg,  of  which  Berlin  is  a  part,  going 


in  the  latter  part  of  August,  1813,  through 
Priegnitz,  Macklenburg,  the  districts  of  Bre- 
men,Hamburg  andHolstein,  and  coming  to  the 
Rhine  in  the  last  days  of  the  year.  Napoleon 
abdicated  in  the  spring  of  1814,  went  to  Elba 
as  an  exile  April  20,  and  the  peace  of  Paris 
A\as  proclaimed  May  30.  Meanwhile  Froebel's 
regiment  was  stationed  in  the  Netherlands  till 
July,  when  all  the  volunteers  who  did  not  care 
to  serve  longer  were  honorably  discharged. 

Doubtless  Froebel  was  a  better  man  and  a  bet- 
ter ldndergart  ner  because  of  his  military  service. 
In  later  years  he  brought  into  the  kindergarten 
the  spirit  of  patriotism  which  will  always  be 
one  of  its  prominent  characteristics,  wherever 
it  is  established.  He  also  brought  into  it  the 
stirring  marches  and  lively  music  which  the 
military  camp  suggests.  And  although  the  kin- 
dergarten must  always  be  regarded  as  a  mighty 
bulwark  of  the  kingdom  of  peace,  we  may  well 
ask  what  would  it  be  worth  with  these  things 
taken  out  of  it  ? 


1814—1816— CURATOR  AT  BERLIN. 


When  Froebel  entered  the  army  he  received 
the  promise  of  a  position  under  the  Prussian 
government  at  the  close  of  the  war,  that  of 
assistant  in  the  mineralogical  museum  at  Ber- 
lin under  Prof.  Weiss,  who  had  been  his  in- 
structor, a  post  that  was  offered  him  through 
the  influence  of  friends.  Consequently  his 
first  thought  on  quitting  the  army  was  to  secure 
for  himself  this  coveted  place,  and  so  he  set 
his  face  toward  Berlin,  arriving  there  early  in 
August,  having  stopped  on  the  way  at  Lunen, 
Mainz,  Frankfort  and  Rudolstadt,  moved  by 
a  desire  to  visit  once  more  the  region  of  his 
birth. 

He  began  his  duties  as  curator  in  the  mu- 
seum at  once.  He  was  occupied  most  of  each 
day  in  the  care  and  arrangement  of  minerals 
in  a  room  which  was  perfectly  quiet  and  which 
he  kept  locked  against  all  intruders.  The  in- 
vestigation and  explanation  of  crystals  also 
formed  a  part  of  his  duties.  Regarding  this 
period  of  his  life,  he  writes  :  "While  engaged 
in  this  work  I  continually  proved  to  be  true 
what  had  long  been  a  presentiment  with  me 
that  even  in  these  so-called  lifeless  stones  and 
fragments  of  rock,  torn  from  their  original 
bed,  there  lay  germs  of  transforming,  develop- 


ing energy  and  activity.  Amidst  the  diversity 
of  forms  around  me,  I  recognized  under  all 
kinds  of  various  modifications  one  law  of  de- 
velopment. Therefore  my  rocks  and  crystals 
served  me  as  a  mirror  wherein  I  might  descry 
mankind,  and  man's  development  and  history. 
Geology  and  crystallography  not  only  opened 
up  for  me  a  higher  circle  of  knowledge  and  in- 
sight, but  also  showed  me  a  higher  good  for 
my  inquiry. my  speculation  and  my  endeavor." 
These  discoveries  made  Froebel  think  for  a 
time  that  he  would  like  to  lit  himself  to  teach  in 
some  University,  but  he  soon  gave  up  the  idea, 
believing  that  he  was  "generally  deficient  in 
the  preparatory  studies  necessary  for  the  higher 
branches  of  natural  science."  Another  reason 
why  he  relinquished  the  desire  for  such  a  career 
resulted  from  his  reflection  that  the  amount  of 
interest  shown  in  their  work  by  the  University 
students  of  his  day  was  too  little  to  attract  h  im 
to  a  professorship.  On  this  theme  he  remarks  : 
"The  opportunities  I  had  of  observing  the 
natural  history  students  of  that  time,  their 
very  slight  knowledge  of  their  subject,  their 
deficiency  of  perceptive  power,  their  still 
greater  want  of  the  true  scientific  spirit,  warned 
me  back  from  such  a  plan." 


32 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


During  his  service  as  a  curator  he  continued 
attending  lectures  on  mineralogy,  crystallo- 
graphy, and  geology  and  also  on  the  history 
of  ancient  philosophy.  Those  were  months 
of  marked  development  for  the  young  man,  who 
still  had  the  work  of  life  before  him.  They 
made  up  the  one  brief  period  of  his  career 
when  he  was  prosperous  and  at  peace  with  the 
world,  unless  we  except  a  few  months  passed 
at  Marienthal,  thirty-five  years  later.  They 
served  to  so  perfect  his  studies  of  natural  his- 
tory that  those  studies  bore  excellent  fruit  when 
lie  came  to  present  to  the  world  the  kinder- 
garten system  of  education.  No  one  who  had 
not  first 'made  the  forms  of  crystallography 
a  profound  study  could  have  brought  them  into 
that  system  as  an  integral  part  of  it  in  the  way 
that  Froebel  did. 

During  the  last  months  of  his  term  as  a  sol- 
dier Froebel  became  separated  from  his  friends, 
Langethal,  Middendorf  and  Bauer,  so  that 
when  he  left  the  army  he  did  not  know  where 
they  were.  All  three  of  them,  however,  soon 
returned  to  Berlin,  to  resume  their  theological 
studies.  Meanwhile  Napoleon  had  ended  his 
exile  at  Elba,  resumed  his  former  place  as  em- 
peror of  France  and  for  a  few  short  weeks  men- 
ac  sd  Europe  as  of  old.  A  new  war  cloud  hung 
over  Germany  in  the  spring  of  1815,  and  the 
four  friends  re-enlisted.  "On  account  of  our 
previous  service"  says  Froebel,  "and  by  royal 
favor,  we  were  at  once  promoted  to  officer's 
rank  and  each  one  was  appointed  to  a  regi- 
ment. There  was  such  a  throng  of  volunteers, 
however,  that  it  was  not  necessary  for  any 
state  officials  to  leave  their  posts  or  for  stu- 
dents to  interrupt  their  studies,  and  we  there- 
fore received  counter  orders  commanding  us 
t<>  stay  at  home." 

Middendorf  came  to  room  with  Froebel, pend- 
ing liis  expected  departure  for  the  war,  and  in 
this  way  the  two  were  brought  into  close  com- 
panionship for  several  months.  About  this 
time  both  Langethal  and  Middendorf  became 
tutors  in  private  families,  to  secure  means  for 
continuing  their  studies,  and  they  appealed  to 
Froebel  to  instruct  them  for  two  hours  a  week 
in  the  best  methods  of  teaching  arithmetic, 
which  he  gladly  did. 

It  was  during  his  curatorship  at  Berlin  that 
Froebel  first  met  Henrietta  Wilhelmine  Hoff- 
meister,  whom  he  subsequently  married.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  an  official  of  the  Prussian 


war  department,  was  born  at  Berlin,  Septem- 
ber 20,  1780,  had  been  a  pupil  of  Schleier- 
macher  and  Fichte  and  was  highly  cultured. 
She  had  previously  married  an  official  connected 
with  the  war  office  named  Klepper,  but  had 
separated  from  him  because  of  his  misconduct. 
She  came  to  the  museum  on  one  occasion  and 
we  are  told  that  Froebel  "was  wonderfully 
struck  by  her,  especially  because  of  the  readi- 
ness with  which  she  entered  intohis  educational 
ideas."  Langethal  and  Middendorf  were  well 
acquainted  with  the  family  and  had  often 
spoken    to  him  about  her. 

Froebel  remained  at  Berlin  till  October,  181 6, 
when  he  left  suddenly  and  without  giving  his 
friends  any  definite  idea  of  his  future  plans. 
He  had, in  1815,  declined  the  offer  of  a  valuable 
post  as  mineralogist  at  Stockholm  and  he  se- 
cured his  discharge  from  the  museum  againsl 
the  earnest  remonstrance  of  Prof. Weiss. 

The  reason  for  his  action  soon  became  ap- 
parent, however.  Christoph  Froebel,  his  well- 
beloved  elder  brother,  who  has  been  so  often 
mentioned  in  these  pages,  died  of  typhus  fever 
in  1813,  while  nursing  French  soldiers  in  the 
hospitals.  He  was  settled  as  a  clergyman  at 
Oriesheim  and  left  a  widow  and  three  sons. 
The  mother  wrote  to  Friedrich  Froebel  in  1816, 
expressing  her  anxiety  regarding  the  proper 
education  of  the  boys  and  appealing  to  him 
for  advice.  It  was  this  letter  that  caused  him 
to  make  the  sudden  resolve  to  give  up  his  place 
in  the  museum.  We  are  told  that  he  had 
hardly  finished  reading  it  when  his  latent  in- 
terest in  the  education  of  man  suddenly  mani- 
fested itself  in  all  power  and  energy  and  pushed 
him  irresistably  forward  to  take  up  again  his 
natural  vocation  and  be  a  teacher.  He  deter- 
mined to  devote  himself  to  the  education  of 
his  nephews,  and  as  a  preliminary  step  he  trav- 
eled from  Berlin  to  Osterode,  where  his  brother 
Christian  had  become  a  spinner  and.  dyer  of 
linen  thread.  There  the  brothers  held  a  consul- 
tation and  it  was  decided  that  Friedrich  should 
open  a  school  at  Griesheim,  the  primary  object 
being  the  training  of  Christoph's  children,  and 
that  Christian  should  also  send  his  two  eons  to 
this  school.  Friedrich  took  the  latter  with  him, 
the,  elder  being  eight  and  his  brother  six  years 
old, and  began  his  teaching  November  16,1816, 
calling  himself  and  the  five  pupils  "The  Univer- 
sal German  Educational  Institute,"  although 
they  were  housed  in  a  peasant's  cottage. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 
1817—1831— PRINCIPAL  AT  KEILHAU. 


33 


Frcebel  tarried  at  Griesheim  but  a  few 
months.  In  the  summer  of  1817  his  sister-in- 
law,  owing  to  the  death  of  her  tut  her,  decided, 
to  move  her  family  to  Keilb.au,  where  she 
bought  a  small  farm.  The  school  went  with 
her  and  was  re-opened  June  24.  The  hamlet 
of  Keilhau  lies  on  the  mountain  side  about  five 
miles  south-west  of  Rudolstadt,  guarded  by 
nature  on  three  sides  with  protecting  walls, 
whichkeep  the  wind  from  entering  the  village. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  spots  in  the 
Thnringian  Forest,  which  is  not  a  region  of 
great  height,  but  famous  for  its  beautiful  val- 
leys, offering  a  great  variety  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful scenery  to  be  found  anywhere. 

The  primitive  condition  of  the  village  of  Keil- 
hau, as  late  as  1815,  seems  strange  enough 
to  us.  "Although  not  poor,"  says  one  writer, 
"the  peasants  had  remained  in  the  condition 
of  the  Middle  Ages.  Three  houses  retained 
the  old  form  of  Thnringian  architecture  and 
the  date  of  L532  was  to  be  seen  over  the  door 
of  one  of  them.  The  church  with  its  pretty 
tower  was  nevertheless  more  like  a  cellar  than 
the  house  of  God.  In  the  midst  of  the  vil- 
lage a  water  course  marked  the  street  and  five 
springs  kept  the  road  wet  all  the  time.  There 
were  only  about  one  hundred  inhabitants  and 
the  living  of  the  peasants  was  very  simple. 
As  had  been  done  live  hundred  years  before, 
the  mayor  still  counted  off  on  a  notched  stick 
the  number  of  measures  of  wheat  which  each 
man  was  bound  to  pay  as  corn  tax  or  tithe. 
He  also  gave  orally  to  the  peasants  any  new 
regulations  of  the  government,  and  in  order  to 
keep  up  a  military  appearance  a  day  watch- 
man paraded  the  village  with  a  broad  halbred 
over  his  shoulder.  The  dress  of  the  old  man 
was  what  he  had  worn  in  his  youth,  and  that 
of  the  women  descended  from  the  mother  to 
daughter." 

The  beginnings  of  the  school  at  Keilhau  were 
very  humble.  The  teachers,  Frcebel  and  Mid- 
dendorf,  dining  the  summer  of  18]  7, lived  in  a 
wretched  little  hut  with  neither  door,  flooring 
or  stove,  while  Froebel  was  building  a  school- 
house.  The  quarters  assigned  him  had  for- 
merly served  as  a  place  for  keeping  hens.  In 
duly     Langethal  graduated   from  the   Univer- 


sity at  Berlin  with  the  highest  honors  and  in 
September  he  visited  Keilhau  to  see  his  old 
comrades  and  take  his  brother  to  Selesia,  where 
he  had  an  engagement  as  tutor  to  the  young- 
nobility.  Frcebel  received  him  with  the  ut- 
most cordiality  and  the  sight  of  the  robust, 
merry  boys  who  were  lying  on  the  floor  that 
evening  building  forts  and  castles  with  the 
wooden  blocks  which  Frcebel  had  made  for 
them,  according  to  his  own  plan,  excited  the 
keenest  interest.  He  had  come  to  take  his 
brother  away  ;  but  when  he  saw  him  among 
other  happy  companions  of  his  own  age  com- 
plete the  finest  structure  of  all,  a  Gothic  Ca- 
thedral, it  seemed  almost  wrong  to  tear  the 
child  from  this  circle.  The  result  of  this  visit 
was  that  Langethal  decided  to  stay  at  Keilhau 
with  his  brother,  so  that  there  might  be  a  trio  of 
teachers,  and  a  great  gain  he  was  to  the  insti- 
tution, where  his  life  work  was  done.  More 
pupils  arrived  when  he  did  and  the  new  build- 
ing was  completed  in  November. 

When  Frcebel  first  came  to  <Triesheim  he 
told  his  sister-in-law  that  he  wished  to  be  a 
father  to  her  orphaned  children,  a  statement 
which  she  interpreted  to  suggest  an  ultimate 
marriage  between  him  and  herself.  He,  how- 
ever, had  never  intended  it  in  that  sense,  and 
after  reaching  Keilhau  he  ottered  himself  by 
letter  to  Henrietta  Hoffmeister  of  Berlin,  ask- 
ing that  she  would  give  her  life  to  the  advance- 
ment of  those  educational  ideas  in  which  she 
had  shown  so  deep  an  interest  during  their 
interview  in  the  museum.  She  received  his 
proposal  favorably,  but  her  father  made  ob- 
jection and  refused  to  give  her  any  dowry. 
The  record  says  that  "she  had  lived  all  her  life 
in  comfortably,  almost  affluent  circumstances. 
But  she  relinquished  everything,  even  the  home 
of  which  she  was  the  light  and  joy,  a  dear 
mother  and  greatly  beloved  father  who  adored 
her,  to  devote  her  whole  life  and  being  to  the 
apostle  of  a  new  education,  whose  ideas  and 
schemes  had  elevated  her  soul  as  with  the  light 
of  divine  inspiration."  When  the  widow  of 
Christolph  Frcebel  learned  of  the  engagement 
she  made  over  her  property  to  Friedrich,  and 
went  to  live  at  Valkstadt  in  dune,  1818. 

The    wedding  occurred   September  20,   the 


34 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


bride  being  thirty-eight  that  day,  and  the 
groom  two  years  younger.  She  brought  with 
her  to  Keilhau  an  adopted  daughter,  Ernestine 
Chrispine.  "Never,"  says  one  writer,  "has 
man  found  a  better  helpmate  than  this  woman 
was  to  Froebel.  She  devoted  herself  to  the  as- 
sistance of  the  Keilhau  teachers  and  their  edu- 
cational mission  with  her  wrhole  being  ;  made 
willingly  any  necessary  sacrifice ;  submitted 
willingly  to  every  privation ;  lived  through 
days  of  most  painful  struggles  with  poverty 
and  want,  and  did  this  all  with  a  courage  and 
devotion  that  was  a  shining  example  to  all  the 
women  who  have  since  devoted  their  lives  to 
the  realization  of  Frcebel's  ideas." 

In  order  to  do  exact  justice  to  Frau  Froebel, 
who  is  so  often  and  so  deservedly  praised,  it 
may  be  necessary  to  add  this  quotation: 
"Frcebel's  wife  was  revered  and  beloved  in  the 
highest  degree  by  the  whole  pedagogical  group 
and  by  Froebel  was  ever  treated  with  deepest 
tenderness  and  esteem.  Eyewitnesses  assert, 
however,  that  although  a  very  capable  woman 
she  was  not  perfectly  qualified  to  guide'  the 
helm  of  so  large  and  composite  a  household 
with  sufficient  circumspection  and  tact,  and 
that  in  the  idea  of  'unity  of  life'  which  Froe- 
bel wished  to  realize  there  was  at  times  some- 
thing wanting,  in  spite  of  the  poetic. yes  idyllic 
character  of  the  lives  of  these  amiable  and 
noble-minded  idealists,  who  were  ready  to  be- 
come martyrs  to  their  philanthropic  and  pure 
principles." 

What  the  privations  endured  during  those 
years  really  were  we  can  hardly  conceive.  Froe- 
bel says  :  "We  had  now  a  severe  struggle  for 
existence  for  the  whole  time,  up  to  1820.  With 
all  our  efforts  we  never  could  get  the  school- 
house  enlarged ;  other  still  more  necessary 
buildings  had  to  be  erected  first."  As  an  illus- 
tration of  the  straits  to  which  Froebel  was  sub- 
jected, it  is  stated  by  an  associate,  who  had 
the  incident  from  his  own  lips,  that  at  one  time 
dining  his  early  struggles  to  put  the  school  on 
its  feet  he  had  to  live  for  a  week  on  two  large 
loaves  of  bread,  on  which  he  first  measured 
the  daily  portions  with  chalk  marks,  so  that 
he  should  not  cut  off  more  than  the  allotted 
part.  We  are  told,  moreover,  that  he  was  not 
afraid  of  long  journeys  on  foot  for  the  benefit 
of  the  cause,  from  which  he  often  returned 
with  bleeding  feet,  and  that  many  a  night  he 
slept  in  the  open  air  to  save  traveling  expenses 


and  then  gave  the  money  to  some  poor  child 
to  support  him  in  the  school. 

Shortly  after  Frcebel's  marriage  the  father 
of  Middendorf  died,  and  he,  without  any  hesi- 
tation, devoted  the  whole  of  his  inheritance  to 
the  institution.  Early  in  the  year  1820  Chris- 
tian Froebel  decided  to  give  up  his  manufac- 
turing business  at  Osterode  and  join  the  com- 
munity with  his  wife  and  three  daughters,  the 
two  sons  being  already  members  of  the  school. 
He  also  invested  all  his  property  in  the  ven- 
ture. The  completion  of  the  schoolhouse  was 
now  pushed  with  zeal,  a  work  that  ended  in 
1822.  The  following  year  Johannas  Arnold 
Barop,  born  at  Dortmand  in  1802,  a  nephew 
of  Middendorf  and  a  divinity  student  at  Halle, 
visited  Keilhau  and  decided  to  remain  as  a, 
teacher,  much  to  the  disgust  of  his  family.  He 
eventually  became  the  mainstay  of  the  whole 
enterprise. 

At  this  time  the  Keilhau  family  began  to 
enjoy  greater  comforts  in  life.  It  was  found 
that  "the  wonderful  enthusiasm  of  the  teach- 
ers and  the  wisdom  of  the  educational  methods 
employed,  had,  in  a  few  years,  made  the  aver- 
age pupil  of  the  Keilhau  school  so  greatly  su- 
perior to  the  average  pupil  of  all  other  educa- 
tional establishments  of  the  country,  that  the 
number  of  pupils  increased  rapidly  and  money 
began  to  flow  more  freely  into  the  households 
of  all  the  teachers." 

It  was  in  the  summer  of  1826  that  both 
Middendorf  and  Langethal  were  married,  the 
former  choosing  for  his  wife  Albertine,the  eld- 
est daughter  of  Christian  Froebel,  and  his  com- 
rade taking  Ernestine  Chrispine,  the  adopted 
daughter  of  Friedrich  Froebel' s  wife.  Barop 
married  Emilie,  Christian  Frcebel's  second 
daughter,  in  1828,  and  the  third  one  in  due 
season  wedded  another  of  the  teachers. 

It  will  hardly  be  possible  within  the  limits 
of  this  brief  narrative  to  give  the  full  history 
of  Frcebel's  career  as  principal  of  the  Keilhau 
school.  But  in  order  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the 
institution  during  its  most  prosperous  days  un- 
der the  leadership  of  its  founder  we  must  quote 
from  the  reminiscences  of  Col.  Hermann  Von 
Arnswald,  who  was  a  pupil  there  for  three 
years  about  1824-26,  as  found  in  the  intro- 
duction of  "Frcebel's  Letters."  He  says  that 
when  he  reached  the  school  Froebel  took  him 
immediately  to  the  boys,  with  whom  he  was 
soon  at  home,  so  thoroughly,  in  fact,  that  it 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


35 


made  his  mother  feel  quite  sad  to  see  how 
cheerful  her  boy  was  at  parting,  when  tears 
filled  her  own  eyes. 

The  account  goes  on  to  explain  that  in  the 
domestic  life  of  the  institution  strict  order  had 
to  be  observed,  and  great  care  was  taken  to 
promote  personal  cleanliness,  new  comers  be- 
ing examined  every  morning  before  breakfast 
to  see  that  there  was  no  lack  in  this  respect. 
And  woe  to  the  boy  who  was  reckoned  defi- 
cient, because  his  allowance  of  milk  for  break- 
fast was  cut  off,  and  he  had  to  be  content  with 
only  a  piece  of  bread.  This  reduction  of  ra- 
tions was  almost  the  sole  punishment  that  was 
deemed  necessary.  Whoever  deserved  correc- 
tion was  sure  to  find  at  dinner  or  supper  a 
piece  of  bread  on  his  plate,  which  indicated 
that  he  must  pass  by  all  other  dishes  without 
tasting  them.  On  one  occasion  Yon  Arnswald 
yielded  to  the  temptation  of  eating  a  straw- 
berry, taken  from  the  supper  table  before  the 
meal  was  quite  ready.  Froebel  saw  the  act 
and  as  a  consequence  the  ominous  piece  of 
bread  was  put  on  his  plate.  The  boy  who  did 
any  damage  at  Keilhau  must  see  to  its  being- 
repaired  personally,  and  the  colonel  remembers 
one  luckless  fellow  who  having  carelessly  or 
misehieviously  broken  a  \n  indow  had  to  take 
the  frame  on  his  back  for  five  miles  before  he 
could  get  it  mended. 

During  the  three  years  of  Col.  Yon  Arns- 
wald's  stay  at  the  school  no  doctor  ever  set  foot 
there.  The  small  injuries  that  occurred  occa- 
sionally in  the  gymnasium  were  always  cured 
by  the  boys'  mutual  helpfulness.  One  day 
when  he  was  at  the  top  of  the  climbing  rope 
his  strength  gave  out  and  he  slid  so  fast  to  the 
bottom  that  his  hands  were  badly  blistered  and 
lie  could  not  dress  without  help  for  a  month. 
During  that  time  his  chum  cared  for  the 
wounded  members,  but  nobody  else  noticed  the 
mishap.  Another  peculiarity  of  this  school 
was  the  absence  of  all  vacations.  No  pupil 
ever  went  home  for  a  while  and  then  returned. 
But  a  tramp  through  the  woods  extending  over 
several  days  was  repeatedly  made  during  the 
summer  season.  On  such  occasions  coffee  and 
cakes  were  served,  and  the  birthdays  of  the 
teachers  joyfully  remembered.  Ordinarily  the 
pupils  drank  nothing  but  milk  and  water. 

The  anniversary  of  the  ) tattle  of  Leipzig, 
the  loss  of  which  forced  Napoleon  to  withdraw 
his  armies  from  Germany,  was  always  cele- 


brated on  the  18th  of  October,  the  national 
sentiment  being  powerfully  developed.  A  big 
fire  was  lighted  on  the  mountain  top  that  even- 
ing, "and  when  the  flames  raised  their  golden 
tongues  skyward,  popular  and  patriotic  songs 
were  sung,  and  we  listened  to  the  inspiring- 
words  of  our  teachers,  every  one  of  whom  had 
fought  through  the  wars  of  deliverance  as  a 
volunteer,  all  having  been  faithful  comrades 
in  the  service  of  the  great  fatherland." 

When  winter  came  it  brought  frequent 
sleigh  rides  on  the  ice,  and  the  boys  were  some- 
times called  out  of  bed  for  this  pastime.  On 
Christmas  eve  they  were  treated  to  poppy  soup, 
which  made  them  sleep  soundly  till  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  when  they  were  summoned  to 
a  short  religious  service,  gifts  were  distributed 
and  they  were  taken  to  church.  Col.  Von 
Arnswald  sums  up  his  story  with  these  signifi- 
cant words  :  "I  lived  at  Keilhau  for  three  years. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  I  went  home  to  the 
house  of  my  parents  healthy  in  soul  and  body. 
After  a  life  so  natural  and  so  completely  se- 
cluded from  all  the  injurious  impressions  of  the 
outside  world  there  could  not  have  been  any 
other  result  than  perfect  health."' 

For  fourteen  years  Froebel  was  at  the  head 
of  the  Keilhau  school.  The  highest  num- 
ber of  pupils  during  that  time  seems  to  have 
been  about  sixty,  and  in  1S2'.»  it  dwindled  to 
five.  As  an  educational  experiment  it  was  in 
great  measure  a  real  success,  though  it  did  not 
reach  Froebel's  ideal.  All  mental  requirements 
were  richly  provided  for,  and  his  own  views 
of  education  carried  out  as  far  as  time  would 
allow,  considering  the  imperative  necessity  of 
preparing  the  boys  for  the  University ;  but  the 
material  wants  were  met  with  great  difficulty 
and  in  the  poorest  fashion.  "None  of  the  no- 
ble men  connected  with  the  school  had  in  the 
remotest  degree,"  says  one  writer,  "imagined 
what  great  sums  were  required  for  the  found- 
ing and  continuing  of  so  extensive  an  institu- 
tion as  they  had  in  viewr,  and  were  expending 
little  by  little.  It  was  very  nearly  true  that 
they  shared  with  each  other,  lovingly  and  trust- 
ingly, all  they  possessed,  for  it  could  be  affirmed 
of  them  as  of  the  first  Christians  'No  one  said 
that  anything  was  his  own.'  " 

The  account  goes  on  to  relate,  "It  was  in 
vain  that  every  item  of  income  wras  devoted 
to  the  common  use  and  that  each  one  joyfully 
brought  to  the  sacrifice  all  his  goods  and  chat- 


36 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


tels,  his  inheritance  and  earnings."  Froebel 
was  too  much  of  a  philanthropist  to  derive 
very  much  gain  from  the  pupils.  He  could 
not  turn  away  an  orphan  or  the  child  of  a 
widow  merely  because  only  half  could  be  paid 
to  him,  so  that  the  school,  well  tilled,  though 
it  was,  yielded  too  little  profit  to  enable  it  to 
sustain  itself."  Moreover,  as  Emily  Shirreff 
points  out  in  her  biographical  sketch,  Froebel 
was  by  nature  a  man  in  whose  hands  material 
interests  could  not  prosper.  He  had  no  prac- 
tical ability  of  any  kind  ;  and  being  engrossed 
with  the  interest  of  carrying  into  effect  the 
cherished  views  which  had  become  a  part  of 
his  very  life,  he  was  probably  less  fitted  than 
ever  to  calculate  and  dwell  upon  prudential 
and  economical  considerations. 

Barop  had  constantly  hoped  for  support  from 
his  well-to-do  family,  but  they  had  never  ap- 
proved of  his  connection  with  the  school  and 
finally  withdrew  from  him  altogether.  Little 
by  little  all  sources  of  help  were  exhausted, 
while  the  needs  of  the  school  continually  grew. 
The  credit  of  the  managers  began  to  sink,  so 
that  "■malevolence  followed  in  their  track  and 
suspicion  stalked  around  them  in  all  kinds  of 
deformity." 

Some  of  their  troubles  arose  from  political 
causes.  Among  the  patriots  who  had  fought 
in  the  war  and  the  generation  of  University 
students  which  came  after  them  there  was 
much  enthusiasm  for  German  unity  and  liberty, 
and  here  and  there  not  a  little  wild  socialistic- 
talk.  The  Keilhau  community  had  adopted  the 
German  dress,  and  both  teachers  and  pupils 
allowed  their  hair  to  grow  long,  and  for  these 
reasons  the  Prussian  government  became  sus- 
picious of  the  school  and  in  September,  I<s24, 
induced  the  local  prince  to  appoint  Superin- 
tendent Zeh  to  investigate  the  institute  and 
make  a  report  regarding  it. 

This  official  came  to  the  school  November 
23,  and  again  March  1st,  1825,  and  the  very 
favorable  report  which  he  made  in  detail  is 
still  preserved,  and  a  part  of  it  is  worth 
quoting.  "I  found  here,"  said  the  inspector, 
"what  is  never  and  nowhere  shown  in  real  life, 
a  timely  and  closely  united  family  of  some  sixty 
members,  living  in  quiet  harmony,  all  showing 
that  they  gladly  perform  the  duties  of  their 
various  positions  ;  a  family  in  which,  because 
it  is  held  together  by  the  strong  hand  of  mutual 
confidence,  and  because  every  member  seeks 


the  good  of  the  whole,  everything,  as  of  itself, 
thrives  in  happiness  and  love." 

"With  respect  and  hearty  affection  all  turn  to 
the  principal;  the  little  five  years'  old  children 
cling  to  his  knees,  while  his  friends  and  col- 
leagues hear  and  honor  his  advice  with  the  con- 
fidence which  his  insight  and  experience  and  his 
indefatigable  zeal  for  the  good  of  the  whole 
deserve ;  while  he  has  bound  himself  to  his 
fellow-workers,  as  the  supports  and  pillars  of 
his  life  work,  which  to  him  is  truly  a  'holy 
work.' 

Self  activity  of  mind  is  the  first  law  of  the 
institution  ;  therefore  the  kind  of-  instruction 
given  there  does  not  make  the  young  mind  a 
strong  box  into  which  as  early  as  possible 
all  kinds  of  coin  of  the  most  different  values 
and  coinage,  such  as  are  now  current  in  the 
world,  are  stuffed  ;  but  slowly,  continuously, 
gradually  and  always  inwardly,  that  is  accord- 
ing to  a  connection  founded  upon  the  nature 
of  the  human  mind,  the  instruction  steadily 
goes  on,  without  any  tricks,  from  the  simple  to 
the  complex,  from  the  concrete  to  the  abstract, 
so  well-adapted  to  the  child  and  his  needs  that 
he  goes  as  readily  to  his  learning  as  to  his  play." 

This  report  was  made  to  the  local  prince  of 
Schwarzburg-Kudolstadt,  and  of  course  he 
could  make  no  move  against  the  school  after 
such  a  report,  had  he  wished  to  do  so,  therefore 
he  directed  the  community  to  dress  like  other 
people  and  cut  their  hair,  a  very  Solomon's 
judgment,  says  Bowen,  for  there  was  nothing- 
else  the  matter  with  them. 

But  the  agitation  which  led  to  this  report 
caused  nearly  all  the  patrons  of  the  school  to 
take  their  boys  away  from  it.  Moreover,  for 
years  trouble  had  been  fermenting  from  within 
as  well  as  without.  One  of  the  teachers,  named 
Herzog,  set  himself  in  stubborn  opposition  to 
the  principal  and  drew  Froebel's  sister-in-law 
and  her  sons  to  his  side  of  the  controversy  ; 
the  three  nephews  quarreled  with  their  uncle 
and  left  in  1824  ;  Herzog  soon  followed  and 
industriously  libelled  the  institute  for  some 
time. 

All  of  these  causes  placed  the  school  under 
a  temporary  cloud.  In  writing  on  the  "Critical 
Moments  of  Froebel's  Life"  Barop  describes 
the  situation  with  a  graphic  pen.  "The  num- 
ber of  our  pupils, he  remarks,  "had  diminished 
to  five  or  six,  and  consequently  the  vanish- 
ing   little    revenue    increased    the    burden  of 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


37 


•debts  to  a  height  that  made  us  dizzy.  From 
all  sides  creditors  rushed  in,  urged  on  by  attor- 
neys, who  washed  their  hands  in  our  misery. 
Froebej  vanished  through  the  back  door  to  the 
mountain  when  the  duns  appeared  and  it  was 
left  to  Middendorf  to  quiet  most  of  them  in 
a  degree  which  only  he  can  believe  possible 
who  has  been  acquainted  with  Middendorf s 
influence  over  man." 

For  a  time  relief  from  all  these  troubles  was 
promised  because  of  the  expected  help  of  the 
duke  of  Meiningen.  Several  influential  friends 
of  the  Keilhau  work  called  his  attention  to  it 
and  as  a  result  he  sent  for  Frcebel  to  explain 
a  scheme  for  an  educational  institute  to  in- 
clude with  the  ordinary  "literary"  branches  in- 
struction in  carpentery,  weaving,  bookbind- 
ing and  tilling  the  ground.  Half  the  school 
hours  were  to  be  devoted  to  study  and  the  other 
half  were  to  be  occupied  by  some  sort  of  handi- 
work. This  plan  was  the  work  of  all  the  Keil- 
hau teachers  and  the  duke  was  much  pleased 
with  it.  He  proposed  to  place  the  estate  of 
Ilelba,  with  thirty  acres  of  land  and  a  yearly 
grant  of  some  five  hundred  dollars,  at  FroebeFs 
disposal,  as  an  aid  in  carrying  out  the  scheme. 
These  negotiations  began  in  1827,  and  it  was 
then  thatFroebel  wrote  out  the  story  of  his  life 
previous  to  1816,  for  the  information  of  the 
duke.  This  record  breaks  off  abruptly  and 
probably  was  never  presented  to  the  duke. 
Secret  iniiueuces  were  set  at  work  to  change 
the  duke's,  purpose  regarding  the  new  educa- 
tional plans  and  his  right-hand  man  in  such 
matters,  fearing  lest  Frcebel's  influence  should 
supplant  his  own,  did  all  that  he  could  to  pre- 
vent the  establishment  of  the  industrial  school. 
Consequently  the  duke  proposed,  in  1831,  as 
a  compromise,  that  Frcebel  begin  with  an  ex- 
perimental establishment  of  twenty-five  pupils. 
Frcebel  felt  that  he  had  been  betrayed  and  re- 
fused to  except  such  an  offer  or  to  have  any- 
thing more  to  do  with  the  duke. 

Meanwhile  Froebel  had  formed  a  close  friend- 
ship with  the  celebrated  philosopher  Carl 
Krause,  under  peculiar  circumstances.  In 
1822  two  articles  by  Frcebel  describing  his 
work  at  Keilhau,  which  had  been  previously 
printed  in  another  form,  appeared  in  The  'Tsis," 
a  noted  scientific  journal  edited  and  published 
by  Lorenz  Oken.  During  the  following  year 
Krause  contributed  an  article  to  the  same  pe- 
riodical   criticising    in  some  particulars  what 


Frcebel  had  written.  The  latter  w as  too  much 
occupied  with  his  regular  work  to  give  the 
matter  much  attention  at  the  time,  but  five  years 
later,  under  date  of  March  -24,  1828,  he  wrote 
Krause  a  long  letter  in  reply,  which  was  fol- 
io wnl  by  a  trip  to  Gottingen  by  Frcebel  and 
Middendorf  in  the  fall  of  that  year  that  they 
might  become  personally  acquainted  with 
Krause.  Long  discussions  on  education  took 
place divring  this  celebrated  meeting  and  Krause 
made  Frcebel  familiar  with  the  works  of  Co- 
menius,  "and  introduced  him  to  the  whole 
learned  society  of  Gottingen,  where  he  made  a 
great  and  somewhat  peculiar  impression." 
There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  his  relations 
with  Krause  at  this  time  had  considerable  to 
do  in  shaping  Frcebel's  future  course  in  re- 
spect to  the  kindergarten. 

As  soon  as  Frcebel  decided  that  he  could  no 
longer  depend  on  the  duke  for  any  substantial 
help  he  went  to  Frankfort  to  discuss  his  diffi- 
culties with  friends  in  that  city  and  this  step 
resulted  in  his  practically  relinquishing  the 
control  of  affairs  at  Keilhau,  although  he  spent 
many  months  of   his  subsequent   life  there. 

A  brief  review  of  Frcebel's  writings  while  he 
was  principal  at  Keilhau  should  naturally  be 
included  in  the  account  of  this  period.  His 
first  published  essay  appeared  in  1822,  the  title 
being,  "On  the  Universal  German  Educational 
institute  of  Rudolstadt,"  which  was  followed 
in  1823,  by  a  "Continuation  of  the  Account  of 
the  Universal  ^German  Educational  Institute  at 
Keilhau."  The  next  year  he  printed  a  paper 
on  "Christmas  at  Keilhau  ;"  "A  Christmas  Gift 
to  the  Parents  of  the  Pupils  at  Keilhau,  to  the 
Friends  and  Members  of  the  Institute."  In 
1826  "The  Education  of  Man  "  was  brought 
out,  the  full  title  being  as  follows  :  "The  Edu- 
cation of  Man,  The  Art  of  Education,  In- 
struction and  Training  Aimed  At  in  the  Edu- 
cational Institute  at  Keilhau,"  written  by  its 
principal,  F.  W.  A.  Frcebel,  Volume  I;  "To 
the  Beginning  of  Boyhood,  Keilhau,  1826." 
Published  by  the  Institute.  Sold  in  commission 
at  Leipzig  by  C.  F.Da,rffiing,  497  pages.  That 
same  year  Frcebel  undertook  to  edit  and  pub- 
lish, at  Leipzig  and  Keilhau,  "The  Family 
Weekly  Journal  of  Education."  In  speaking 
of  these  writings  one  editor  of  Frcebel's  biogra- 
phy, Emilie  Michaelis.says  :  "Frcebel  in  his 
unbusinesslike  way,  published  all  these  produc- 
tions privately.    They  came  out,  of  course,  un- 


38 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


der  every  disadvantage,  and  could  only  reach 
the  hands  of  learned  persons,  and  those  to 
whom  they  were  really  of  interest  by  merely 
a  chance.  Further,  Froebel,  as  has  already 
abundantly  appeared,  was  but  a  poor,  author. 
His  stiff,  turgid  style  makes  his  works  in  many 
places  most  difficult  to  understand,  as  the  pre- 
sent translators  have  found  to  their  cost,  and 
he  was  therefore  pratically  unreadable  to  the 
general  public.  In  his  usual  self-absorbed 
fashion  he  did  not  perceive  these  deficiences 
of  his, nor  could  he  be  made  to  see  the  folly  of 
private  publication.  Indeed,  on  the  contrary, 
he  dreamed  of  fabulous  sums  which  one  day  he 
was  to  realize  from  the  sale  of  his  works.     It 


is  needless  to  add  that  the  event   proved  very 
much  the  reverse." 

Thus  closes  an  important  period  of  fourteen 
years  in  Froebel's  life,  a  formative,  educating 
period,  like  all  those  which  had  gone  before. 
For  him  to  found  the  Keilhau  school,  an  insti- 
tution which  has  to  this  day  maintained  an  il- 
lustrious reputation, was  indeed  an  honor.  But 
Keilhau  did  more  for  him  than  he  did  for  Keil- 
hau, it  disciplined  him  for  the  immortal  work 
of  later  years.  Had  he  been  successful  as  its 
principal  he  would  have  been  content  with 
the  place  for  the  rest  of  his  days,  and  conse- 
quently the  world  would  never  have  heard  of 
the  kindergarten. 


1831— 1837— IN  SWITZERLAND. 


It  was  in  the  month  of  May,  1831, that  Froe- 
bel went  to  Frankfort,  and  there  he  chanced  to 
meet  the  noted  musician  and  naturalist  Zavier 
Schnyder  of  Wartensee,  in  the  canton  of  Lu- 
cerne. He  told  this  new  acquaintance  of  what 
he  had  tried  to  do  at  Keilhau  and  how  the  work 
had  resulted.  He  enlisted  his  sympathy  and 
'•exercised  upon  him  that  overpowering  influ- 
ence which  is  the  peculiar  property  of  creative 
minds."  Schnyder  appreciated  the  man  and 
his  efforts  and  we  are  told  that  he  fairly  begged 
Froebel  to  open  a  school  in  his  castle  at  War- 
tensee. The  offer  was  accepted  without  del  late 
and  Froebel  at  once  departed  for  Switzerland, 
taking  Ferdinand  Froebel,  the  oldest  son  of  his 
brother  Christian,  with  him,  Middendorf  as- 
suming the  helm  at  Keilhau  for  the  time  being. 
The  uncle  and  nephew  located  themselves  in 
the  castle  so  kindly  placed  at  their  disposal, 
with  its  splendid  library,  abundance  of  silver 
plate  and  elegant  furniture,  and  began  their 
school  with  a  few  peasant  children  from,  the 
immediate  neighborhood. 

But  obstacles  sprang  up  before  these  en- 
thusiasts had  really  secured  a  foothold  in  their 
new  quarters.  The  opposition  of  the  local 
clergy  against  the  "heretics"  and  foreigners 
was  from  the  first  pronounced  and  aggressive. 
It  prevented  pupils  coming  to  them  from  any 
distance  and  from  families  who  were  well-to-do, 
and  so  limited  their  income  by  the  narrowest 
bounds.  It  also  caused  the  people  about  them 
to  harbor  the  continual  suspicion  that  they 
were  ready  to  do  something  which  would  in- 
jure the  community.      Added  to  the  hate  of  the 


priests,  according  to  some  writers,  was  the 
malevolence  of  Herzoa;,a  native  of  that  section, 
who  had  been  deposed  from  his  place  as  teacher 
at  Keilhau  some  years  previous,  because  he  had 
shown  himself  to  be  a  promoter  of  strife. 
Moreover, the  teachers  found  their  rooms  in  the 
castle  very  inconvenient  for  school  purposes, 
but  the  owner  would  not  consent  to  addition 
or  alteration  on  any  account. 

Such  was  their  condition  at  the  end  of  a 
few  months,  when  Barop  joined  them,  having 
tramped  there  from  Keilhau,  where  their  friends 
had  become  concerned  about  them  and  ap- 
pointed him  a  messenger  to  report  how  they 
were  faring.  He  remained  in  Switzerland  more 
than  a  }Tear.  Soon  after  his  arrival  the  three 
friends  were  sitting  in  a  hotel  near  Wartensee, 
talking  about  their  difficulties  with  some  strang- 
ers who  happened  to  be  there,  and  the  con- 
versation was  overheard  by  some  business  men 
from  the  neighboring  town  of  Willisau,  who 
became  much  interested  in  what  was  said. 
They  went  home  and  reported  what  Froebel 
and  his  associates  were  trying  to  do  in  the 
interest' of  education,  and  soon  an  invitation 
came  from  twenty  families  in  Willisau  to  re- 
move the  school  to  that  place.  An  associa- 
tion was  formed  to  support  it  and  a  building 
which  resembled  a  castle  was  secured  for  it, 
by  consent  of  the  authorities  of  the  canton. 
Some  forty  pupils  entered  the  school  as  soon 
as  it  was  relocated  and  for  a  time  prosperity 
seemed  assured. 

But  the  fury  of  the  priests  blazed  out  afresh 
and  the  teachers  went  about  in  fear  of  their 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


39 


lives.  On  one  occasion  during  a  church  fes- 
tival a  fanatical  Capuchin  monk  made  such 
a  fierce  speech  against  them  that  everybody 
present  expected  that  a  riot  must  result.  While 
the  tirade  was  going  on  Froebel  stood  in  the 
crowd  directly  facing  the  monk,  without  mov- 
ing a  muscle  or  changing  a  feature,  and  his 
two  associates  appeared  equally  oblivious  to 
their  danger.  Strange  to  relate,  no  hand  was 
raised  against  the  heretics, and  after  the  monk 
had  disappeared  they  passed  quietly  through 
the  threatening  mob. 

Barop  resolved  to  procure  protection  if  it 
could  be  obtained,  and  laid  the  matter  before 
the  mayor,  who  advised  that  a  public  exami- 
nation of  the  pupils  be  held,  as  a  means  of 
winning  popular  esteem.  It  occurred  on  a  beau- 
tiful autumnal  day,  being  attended  by  a  great 
crowd  from  different  cantons,  and  a  number 
of  officials.  It  began  at  seven  in  the  morn- 
ing and  continued  till  seven  in  the  evening, 
closing  with  games  and  gymnastic  exercises 
by  the  whole  school.  It  was  a  great  success 
in  every  way,  and  as  a  result  glowing  speeches 
about  the  school  were  made  in  the  council  of 
the  canton  and  that  body  voted  to  let  the  castle 
to  Froebel  and  his  associates  at  a  low  rate  and 
to  expel  from  the  canton  the  monk  who  had 
attacked  them.  A  little  later,  in  1833,  Barop 
returned  to  Keilhau  and  became  its  principal. 
Gradually  he  raised  the  financial  standing  of 
the  school,  continuing  there  till  his  death, 
many  years  later,  and  handing  it  down  to  his 
son,  the  present  principal. 

Just  before  Barop  decided  to  return  to  Keil- 
hau a  deputation  of  citizens  came  from  Berne 
to  invite  Froebel  to  organize  an  orphanage  at 
Burgdorf,  in  addition  to  his  work  at  Willisau, 
and  he  accepted  the  task  on  condition  that  other 
pupils  should  be  admitted  besides 'orphans. 
Middendorf  came  from  Keilhau  to  take  the 
place  of  Barop,  locating  at  Willisau  with  Ferdi- 
nand Froebel,  while  Friedrich  Froebel  and  his 
wife  took  up  the  new  enterprise  at  Burgdorf. 
In  connection  with  the  regular  instruction  given 
at  the  orphanage  Froebel  was  required  to  con- 
duct what  was  called  a  Repetitive  Course  for  the 
teachers  of  the  canton.  They  were  given  three 
months'  leave  of  absence  from  their  regular 
duties  once  in  two  years,  during  which  time 
they  were  gathered  at  Burgdorf  for  special 
study.  Concerning  this  period  in  Fnebel's  life 
Barop  writes  as  follows  :  ktFr<ebel  had  to  pre- 


side over  the  debates  and  to  conduct  the  studies 
which  were  pursued  in  common.  His  own  ob- 
servations and  the  remarks  of  the  teachers 
brought  to  him  a  new  conviction  that  all 
school  education  was  as  yet  without  a  proper 
foundation,  and,  that  until  the  education  of  the 
nursery  was  reformed, nothing  solid  and  worthy 
could  be  attained.  The  necessity  of  training 
gifted,  capable  mothers  occupied  his  soul,  and 
the  importance  of  the  education  of  childhood's 
earliest  years  became  more  evident  to  him  than 
ever.  He  determined  to  set  forth  fully  his 
ideas  on  education,  which  the  tyranny  of  a 
thousand  opposing  circumstances  had  always 
prevented  him  from  working  out  in  their  com- 
pleteness ;  or  at  all  events  to  do  this  as  regards 
the  earliest  years  of  man,  and  then  to  win  over 
the  world  of  women  to  the  actual  accomplish- 
ment of  his  plans." 

After  a  stay  of  three  years  at  Burgdorf  the 
health  of  Fran  Froebel  broke  down  and  the  doc- 
tors ordered  her  to  seek  another  climate.  In 
June,  1836;,  she  and  her  husband  went  to  Ber- 
lin, the  immediate  cause  of  the  journey  being 
the  death  of  her  mother  and  the  necessity  of 
adjusting  some  matters  pertaining  to  her  inheri- 
tance. While  he  tarried  at  Berlin  the  funda- 
mental thought  of  all  his  educational  efforts 
made  a  deeper  impress  than  ever  before  on 
Froebel's  mind.  There  it  was  that  his  hours  of 
musing  were  occupied  with  the  plan  which  was 
taking  shape  for  the  early  education  of  little 
children.  It  was  now  clear  to  him  that  the 
earliest  childhood  is  the  most  important  time 
for  human  development,  and  that  in  the  child's 
behalf  play  as  his  first  activity,  must  be  spirit- 
ualized and  systematically  treated. 

He  naturally  felt  that  his  native  Germany 
was  the  country  in  which  to  work  out  these 
ideas  and  he  never  returned  to  Switzerland. 
Langethal  went  from  Keilhau  to  take  Froebel's 
place,  and  for  a  time  he  and  Ferdinand  Froe- 
bel were  directors  of  the  Burgdorf  school. 
Then  Langethal  left  it  to  take  charge  of  a  girls' 
school  at  Berne,  and  not  long  after  Ferdinand 
Froebel  died,  being  sincerely  mourned  by  the 
whole  community.  The  Willisau  institute  was 
given  up  also,  Middendorf  returning  to  his 
family  at  Keilhau, and  thus  it  happened  that  the 
educational  experiment  in  Switzerland  lasted 
only  a  few  years  and  met  with  but  limited 
success,  compared  with  the  mental  and  physi- 
cal effort  that  it  cost. 


40 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 
1837— 1844—  BLANKENBURG. 


After  a  few  mouths,  in  1*.">7.  Froebel  and 
his  wife  came  to  Keilhau  once  more,  and 
there  the  idea  of  the  kindergarten  hurst  upon 
him.  He  wrote  at  once  to  Berlin  for  his  first 
materials  for  the  plays  and  occupations,  and 
selected,  with  the  help  of  his  friend  Barop,  who 
was  the  principal  of  the  Keilhau  school,  the 
neighboring  village  of  Blankenburg,  a  little 
south-west  of  Keilhau,  for  the  launching  of  his 
new  enterprise,  a  place  which  he  felt,  on  ac- 
count of  its  healthy  location,  would  make  the 
best  home  for  his  invalid  wife. 

In  giving  an  account  of  these  days  Barop 
writes  as  follows:  "When  Froebel  came  back 
from  Berlin  the  idea  of  an  institution  for  little 
children  was  fully  formed  in  him.  1  rented 
him  a  locality  in  the  neighboring  Blankenburg. 
For  a  long  time  he  could  find  no  name  for  his 
cause.  Middenclorf  and  I  were  one  day  walk- 
ing to  Blankenburg  with  him  over  the  Steiger 
l'ass.  He  kept  on  repeating,  "Oh,  if  I  could 
only  find  a  name  for  my  youngest  child." 
Blankenburg  lay  at  our  feet  and  he  walked 
moodily  toward  it.  Suddenly  he  stood  still  as 
if  riveted  to  the  spot,  and  his  eyes  grew  won- 
derfully bright.  Then  he  shouted  to  the  moun- 
tain so  that  it  echoed  to  the  four  winds.  'Eu- 
reka, Kindergarten  shall  the  institution  be 
called.'  "  This  was  literally  a  "mountain  mo- 
rn* nt"  in  his  life,  a  brief  period  of  inspiration 
which  counted  for  more  than  months  of  every- 
day existence.  After  finding  the  right  name 
Froebel  determined  to  make  an  effort  to  put  the 
whole  establishment  at  Blankenburg  on  a  satis- 
factory financial  basis  and  include  in  it  a  train- 
ing college  in  which  women  teachers  should  be 
shown  how  to  deal  with  little  children  up  to  the 
age  of  seven. 

The  house  where  Froebel  lived  and  labored 
at  Blankenburg  remains  to-day  as  it  appeared 
then,  a  large,  unattractive,  three-story  structure 
on  the  hillside.  It  is  still  used  for  school  pur- 
poses and  bears  on  the  front  a  tablet  of  black 
and  gold  with  these  words  :  "Friedrieh  Fnebel 
Established  His  First  Kindergarten  Here  on 
the  28th  of  June,  1840."  This  date  is  chosen 
because  it  was  a  festival  day  in  all  that  region, 
commemorating  the  four  hundredth  anniversary 
of  the  discovery  of  printing,   which   was    cele- 


brated in  common  by  the  schools  of  Blanken- 
burg and  Keilhau,  Froebel  being  the  orator  of 
the  day.  As.  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  he  be- 
gan the  kindergarten  work  soon  after  loeatino- 
at  Blankenburg. 

To  Col.  Von  Arnswald  we  are  indebted  for 
a  glimpse  of  the  Blankenburg  kindergarten  as 
it  appeared  in  1839.  "Arriving  at  the  place," 
he  writes,  "I  found  my  Middendorf  seated  by 
the  pump  in  the  market-place,  surrounded  by 
a  crowd  of  little  children.  Going  near  them  I 
saw  that  he  was  engaged  in  mending  the  jacket 
of  a  boy.  By  his  side  sat  a  little  girl  busy 
with  thread  and  needle  upon  another  piece  of 
clothing;  one  boy  had  his  feet  in  a  bucket  of 
water  washing  them  carefully  ;  other  girls  and 
hoys  were  standing  around  attentively  looking 
upon  the  strange  pictures  of  real  life  before 
them,  and  waiting  for  something  to  turn  up  to 
interest  them  personally.  Our  meeting  was  of 
the  most  cordial  kind,  but  Middendorf  did  not 
interrupt  the  business  in  which  he  was  engaged. 
'Come,  children,'  he  cried,  'let  us  go  into  the 
garden  !'  and  with  loud  cries  of  joy  the  crowd 
of  little  men  followed  the  splendid  looking,  tall 
man  with  willing  feet,  running  all  around  him." 
.  "The  garden  was  not  a  garden. however,  but 
a  barn  with  a  small  room  and  an  entrance  hall. 
In  the  entrance  Middendorf  welcomed  the  chil- 
dren and  played  with  them  an  all-round  game, 
ending  in  the  flight  of  the  little  ones  into  the 
room  where  every  one  of  them  sat  down  in  his 
place  on  the  bench  and  took  hold  of  his  gift 
box.  Then  for  half  an  hour  they  were  all  very 
busy  with  their  blocks,  and  then  the  summons 
came,  'C<>me,  children,  let  us  spring  and 
spring,'  and  when  the  game  was  finished  they 
went  away  full  of  joy  and  life,  every  one  pass- 
ing by  his  dear  friend  and  teacher  and  giving 
him  his  little  hand  for  a  grateful  goodbye."  And 
then  the  colonel  adds:  "I  shall  never  forget 
this  image  of  the  first  kindergarten,  so  lovable 
and  cheerful.  I  preserved  it  all  in  my  memory 
and  used  it  all  as  a  pattern,  when  in  time  i 
had  occasion  to  establish  an  educational  gar- 
den in  my  own   home." 

Nevertheless,  Froebel  and  Middendorf  had 
The  greatest  difficulty  in  persuading  the  Blank- 
enburg people  to  merely  allow  them  to  have  any 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


41 


intercourse  with  the  little  children,  because  the 
parents  thought  that  the  teaching  a  child  to 
play  would  help  to  make  him  a  sluggard  and  a 
loafer.  But  the  two  earnest  pioneers  persisted 
in  their  labor  of  love  and  succeeded  in  over- 
coming the  local  prejudice  to  a  certain  extent. 
Froebel  had  begun  the  publication  of  a  Sunday 
paper  the  year  before  which  he  called  "Seeds, 
Buds  and  Fruits  out  of  Life,  for  the  Educa- 
tion of  United  Families."  It  bore  the  motto, 
"Come,  let  us  live  with  our  children."  But  he 
did  not  confine  his  work  to  Blahkenburg  or  the 
immediate  neighborhood.  In  January,  1839, 
we  find  him  giving  a  kindergarten  address  at 
Dresden,  where  the  Queen  of  Saxony  was  pres- 
ent, and  a  month  later  he  gave  another  at  Leip- 
sig.  Soon  after  he  was  called  to  Dresden  to 
further  explain  the  system  and  Middendorf  and 
Adolf  Frankenberg  went  with  him.  The  visit 
evidently  lasted  some  time  and  resulted  in  the 
establishment  of  a  kindergarten  in  that  city, 
which  was  taught  by  Fran  Frankenberg,  who 
thus  became  the  first  woman  kindergartener,  so 
far  as  we  can  learn. 

While  Frcebel  was  at  Dresden  his  wife  died. 
May  13,  1839.  She  was  one  of  those  rare 
women  who  served  an  idea  at  the  greatest  pos- 
sible sacrifice,  that  of  her  life.  Although 
mourning  her  loss  sincerely  he  did  not  pause 
in  his  work,  but  soon  after,  at  Hamburg,  re- 
peated what  he  had  said  at  Dresden.  Month 
by  month  the  idea  of  the  kindergarten  grew 
clearer  in  Froebel' s  mind,  so  that  in  1840,  at  the 
Guttenburg  festival,  which  the  schools  of 
Blackenburg  and  Keilhau  celebrated  in  com- 
mon, he  was  able  to  present  a  new  and  more 
comprehensive  plan  than  any  which  he  had  pre- 
viously entertained,  one  which  he  hoped  to  cany 
out  with  the  help  of  his  fellow  countrymen. 
On  the  first  day  of  May  he  issued,  an  appeal  to 
the  public  to  help  him  to  establish  a  kinder- 
garten training  school,  the  special  feature  of 
his  scheme  being  the  proposition  that  each 
person  interested  in  the  enterprise  should  take 
one  or  more  shares  in  it,  each  share  having  the 
value  of  ten  dollars.  His  address  at  the  fes- 
tival of  June  28th  was  largely  devoted  to  ad- 
vocating the  plan  and  was  directed  chiefly  to 
the  ladies  who  were  present  on  that  occasion. 

Some  idea  of  this  speech  can  be  gained  by 
the  closing  words:  "Therefore,  I  dare,"  said 
he,  "confidently  to  invite  you  who  are  here  pre- 
sent,    honorable,    noble   and  discreet  matrons 


and  maidens,  and  through  you  and  with  you  all 
women,  young  and  old  of  our  fatherland,  to 
assist  in  your  subscription  in  the  founding  of  an 
educational  system  for  the  nurtureof  little  chil- 
dren, which  shall  be  named  Kindergarten,  on 
account  of  its  inner  life  and  aim,  and  German 
Kindergarten  on  account  of  its  spirit.  Do  not 
lie  alarmed  at  the  apparent  cost  of  the  shares  ; 
for  if  in  your  housekeeping  or  by  your  industry 
you  can  spare  only  five  pennies  daily,  from  the 
presumptive  time  of  the  first  payment  until  the 
end,  the  ten  dollars  is  paid  at  the  last  pay- 
ment. Do  not  let  j'ourself  be  kept  from  the 
actual  claims  of  the  plan  by  the  comtemptible 
objection    'Of  what  use  to  us  is  it  all?' 

Already  the  idea  of  furthering  the  proper 
education  of  the  child  through  appropriate  fos- 
tering of  the  instinct  of  activity,  acts  like  light 
and  warmth,  imperceptibly  and  beneficently, 
on  the  well-being  of  families  and  citizens  ;  for 
good  is  not  like  a  heavy  stone  which  only  acts 
and  is  perceived  when  it  is  pressed;  no,  it  is 
like  water,  air  and  light,  which  invisibly  fiows 
from  one  place  to  another,  awakening,  water- 
ing, fertilizing,  nourishing  what  is  concealed 
from  the  searching  eye  of  man — even  slumbers 
in  our  own  breasts,  unsuspected  by  ourselves. 
Good  is  like  a  spark  which  shines  far  and  points 
out  the  way.  Therefore,  let  us  all,  each  in  his 
own  way.  advance  what  our  hearts  recognize 
as  good,  the  care  of  young  children. 

Do  you  ask  for  the  profits  of  your  invest- 
ment, the  dividends  on  your  shares  ?  Open  your 
eyes  impartially, your  hearts  also  ;  there  is  more 
in  it  than  Ave  have  represented  in  the  plan  of  the 
undertaking.  Oh,  is  the  beautiful  any  the  less 
a  gift  and  a  real  value  in  our  life  because  it 
passes  away  easily  ?  Is  the  true  any  the  less 
a  gift  because  it  is  unseen  and  only  the  spirit 
observes  it?  And  shall  we  count  for  nothing 
t he  reaction  on  the  family  and  the  happiness 
of  the  children  in  joy  of  heart  and  peace  of 
mind  ?  You  can  enjoy  these  great  gifts  in  full 
measure  ;  forthey  are  the  fruit  of  your  co-opera- 
tion, the  fruits  of  the  garden  which  you  estab- 
lish and  care  for,  the  fruits  of  your  property. 
Besides,  is  it  not  almost  more  than  this  to  take 
the  lead  and  stand  as  models  for  a  whole  coun- 
try, to  advance  the  happiness  of  childhood  and 
the  well-being  of  families, of  the  whole  nation  ?" 
We  are  told  that  as  a  result  of  this  speech  Froe- 
bel's  hearers  were  greatly  moved"  and  that 
they  did  not  separate  without  pledging  a  goodly 


42 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


sum    to    advance  the   spread    of    the   German 
Kindergarten. 

This  success  was  only  temporary,  for  while 
Froebel  and  Middendorf  were  able  to  overcome 
in  a  measure  the  local  prejudice  against  their 
system  of  education  for  young  children  the 
parents  kept  insisting  that  they  were  doing  the 
educators  ;i  great  favor  in  allowing  them  to 
spend  their  time  on  the  children,  and  were 
far  from  thinking  that  kindergartners  ought 
to  he  paid  for  the  services  rendered.  Froebel 
was  able  to  get  the  municipality  to  grant  him 
the  free  use  of  a  place  in  which  to  do  work. 
But  it  soon  became  evident  to  him  that  he  must 
seek  a  broader  field  and  take  up  the  task  of 
educating  the  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  the 
new  educational  system.  Consequently  the 
institution  at  Blankenburg  was  given  up  in 
1*44  and  Froebel  determined  to  travel  about 
Germany  and  expound  his  views,  taking  with 
him  his  faithful  and  eloquent  friend  Midden- 
dorf. In  order  to  kindle  the  sparks  of  appre- 
ciation glimmering  here  and  there  into  a  clear 


flame  by  the  breath  of  his  own  never- f ailing- 
enthusiasm,  he  proposed  to  visit  all  the  large 
cities.  But  before  setting  out  on  this  pil- 
grimage, in  1843,  he  published  the  "Mutter 
Und  Kose-Lieder,"  a  book  which  was  destined 
to  become  the  most  popular  of  all  his  works, 
the  song  and  picture  book  for  mothers  and 
little  children.  "Traveling  through  the  coun- 
try, "says  Elizabeth  Harrison,  "Froebel  listened 
to  the  cradle  songs  and  stories  which  the  Ger- 
man housewives  told  to  their  children.  He 
noticed  how  the  little  children  are  constantly 
in  motion,  how  they  delight  in  movement,  how 
they  use  their  senses,  how  quickly  they  observe 
and  how  they  invent  and  contrive.  And  he 
said  to  himself,  'I  can  convert  the  children's 
activities,  energies,  amusements,  occupations, 
all  that  goes  by  the  name  of  play,  instrumental 
for  my  purpose,  and  transfer  play  into  work. 
This  work  will  be  education  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  term.  The  conception  I  have  gained 
from  the  children  themselves  ;  the}'  have  taught 
me  how  I  am  to  teach  them.' ': 


1844— 1849— WANDERINGS  ABOUT  GERMANY. 


In  the  summer  of  1844  Froebel  and  Midden- 
dorf started  out  on  their  missionary  tours  for 
the  propagation  of  the  kindergarten,  which  were 
destined  to  continue  a  number  of  years  and  ex- 
tend over  a  considerable  area.  They  visited 
in  succession  Frankfort,  Heidleberg,  Darm- 
stadt, Cologne,  Carlsruhe,  and  Stuttgart.  Dur- 
ing the  following  year  Froebel  became  acquain- 
ted with  Louise  Levin,  who  subsequently  be- 
came his  second  wife.  The  history  of  this 
woman  is  an  interesting  story  to  all  who  are 
in  any  way  attracted  to  the  kindergarten  or  its 
literature.  Louise  Levin  was  born  at  Marien- 
vorstadt,  a  suburb  of  Osterode,  in  the  Harz 
mountains,  April  15,  1815.  Her  father  was  a 
tanner  and  across  the  street  from  his  house 
lived  Christian  Froebel,  brother  of  Friedrich, 
a  spinner  and  dyer  of  linen  thread  and  the  owner 
of  a  factory.  His  children  were  the  first  play- 
mates of  little  Louise,  outside  of  her  own 
household. 

In  her  later  years  Frau  Froebel  has  written  a 
pamphlet  entitled  "Reminiscences  of  Friedrich 
Froebel,"  which  includes  au  outline  of  the  story 
of  her  early  life.  She  says  that  Christian  Froe- 
bel was  a  Busy  man  in  those  days,  but  that  he 
found  time  for  mental   culture  as  well  as  an 


earnest  and  loving  discharge  of  his  duties  as 
husband  and  father.  Also  that  he  had  suf- 
fered from  the  want  of  a  thorough  education 
and  that  it  was  his  great  desire  to  procure 
more  for  his  children  in  that  respect  than  he 
himself  had  enjoyed.  Friedrich  always  had 
great  influence  in  his  brother's  family,  and  the 
narrative  relates  that  his  nephews  and  nieces, 
as  well  as  the  older  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Louise,  looked  forward  to  his  visits  as  a  treat. 
It  was  at  the  house  of  his  brother,  in  1816, 
when  she  was  eighteen  months  old,  that  Froebel 
first  met  her.  He  had  recently  resigned  his 
position  as  assistant  superintendent  of  the  min- 
eralogical  museum  at  Berlin,  and  resolved  to 
open  a  school  at  Griesheim.  But  he  wanted 
more  pupils  than  this  one  family  afforded  and 
so  visited  his  brother  at  Osterode,  to  persuade 
him  to  let  his  two  sons  join  their  cousins  at 
Griesheim.  A  little  later  the  school  was  moved 
to  Keilhau,  and  in  1820  Christian  Froebel  and 
his  family  went  there  to  live. 

Concerning  this  change  Frau  Froebel  writes  : 
"I  was  five  years  old  when  our  dear,  faithful 
friends  removed  from  our  neighborhood.  YVel  1 
do  I  remember  my  brothers'  and  sisters'  sorrow 
at  departing  ;  my  grief  was  more  speedily  as 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


43 


sauged  by  a  legacy  of  all  the  toys  left  in  the 
forsaken  nursery  over  the  way."  She  soon  be- 
gan to  exchange  letters  with  Elsie  Froebel,  who 
was  two  years  older,  although  at  first  her  baby 
hand  had  to  be  guided  by  that  of  a  more  ma- 
ture sister.  We  are  told  that  they  sent  flowers 
to  each  other,  exchanged  garden  seeds,  and  in 
similar  ways  kept  alive  the  friendship  of  former 
years.  In  due  time  the  boys  of  the  Froebel 
family  paid  a  visit  to  the  Levins,  and  Louise 
was  much  attracted  to  them,  as  they  appeared 
greatly  to  be  preferred  to  her  ordinary  boy 
playmates.  Then  her  brothers  were  allowed  an 
outing  at  Keilhau,  and  on  their  return  they 
were  constantly  talking  about  the  happy  life  of 
the  boys  who  were  at  school  there,  and  of  the 
kindness  of  "Uncle  Froebel/'  meaning  Fried- 
rich,  to  them.  They  also  brought  back  with 
them  many  things  winch  the  pupils  there  had 
given  them  as  samples  of  their  own  handiwork, 
models  of  toys,  furniture  and  machines,  cut  out 
from  wood  or  cardboard  and  pasted  together. 

Louise  Levin  endured  many  hardships  in  her 
early  da}Ts.  Her  father  died  when  she  was 
thirteen,  her  two  brothers  were  left  widowers 
with  children  to  care  for  within  a  few  years 
after  they  were  married,  and  her  eldest  sister 
lost  her  husband  in  the  prime  of  life.  All  of 
these  families  looked  to  her  for  help  in  the 
midst  of  their  troubles,  and  it  was  not  till  she 
was  thirty  years  old  that  she  was  at  liberty, 
to  leave  the  home  circle.  As  for  her  educa- 
tion, she  tells  us  that  it  was  "neither  better 
nor  worse  than  that  of  most  girls  at  that  time, 
the  chief  female  accomplishment  of  that  day 
being  skill  in  various  domestic  arts." 

Finding  herself  no  longer  indispensable  to 
her  relatives  Louise  Levin  felt  that  she  must 
make  herself  indispensable  to  some  one,  to  fill 
a  breach  and  have  an  object  in  life.  Fran 
Middendorf  had  lately  been  visiting  her  and 
invited  her  to  come  to  Keilhau.  With  the 
words  of  invitation  ringing  in  her  ears  she 
wrote  a  letter  offering  her  services  to  the  com- 
munity and  received  an  immediate  answer  urg- 
ing her  to  lose  no  time,  but  to  at  once  become 
a  working  member  of  the  household.  This  was 
in  June,  1845,  and  when  Louise  joined  the 
family  it  included  three  daughters  of  Christian 
Froebel,  Frau  Middendorf,  Frau  Barop  and 
Fraulein  Elsie  Froebel,  her  former  correspond- 
ent. Froebel  himself  was  then  living  in  the 
neighborhood,  but  did  not  make  his  home  in  the 


school  building.  But  he  called  to  see  Louise 
soon  after  her  arrival,  and  gave  her  much 
friendly  counsel,  which  she  remembered  well 
and  rendered  useful  in  her  relations  and  duties 
to  those  around  her. 

In  1*4  (!  Froebel  and  Middendorf  made  a 
journey  similar  to  the  one  undertaken  the  pre- 
vious year,  but  it  was  apparently  barren  of  re- 
sults, just  as  the  former  trip  had  been.  Dis- 
couraged with  the  reception  he  met  with  from 
men  and  professional  teachers  in  general,  Froe- 
bel henceforth  more  than  ever  addressed  him- 
self to  women,  mothers  and  teachers,  with  in- 
creasing enthusiasm.  In  the  summer  of  1847 
he  gave  an  exhibition  of  games  at  a  meeting 
at  Qnetz  near  Halle.  As  a  result  of  this  meet- 
ing one  of  his  converts  decided  to  add  a  kin- 
dergarten to  her  high  school  for  girls  at  Ham- 
lung  and  to  employ  Middendorf 's  daughter  Al- 
vine  as  the  kindergartner.  But  before  this 
plan  could  be  carried  out  it  was  deemed  best 
for  her  to  take  a  course  with  Froebel,  and  Louise 
Levin  determined  to  join  his  training  class  at 
the  same  time.  Consequently  both  of  them  lie- 
came  his  pupils  during  the  winter  of  1847-1848. 

About  this  time  Froebel  drew  up  the  pro- 
spectus of  an  institution  which  he  proposed  to 
form  for  the  training  of  the  masses  and  the 
educators  of  children.  In  this  prospectus  he 
says  :  "It  is  very  desirable  that  young  maidens 
entering  the  institution  should  have  a  good 
school  education.  They  ought  to  be  more  than 
fifteen  years  old  and  healthy  and  full  grown. 
The  age  from  seventeen  to  twenty  odd  years 
seems  best  for  this  training.  More  important 
than  school  education,  however,  is  the  girlish 
love  of  childhood,  an  ability  to  occupy  herself 
with  children,  as  well  as  a  serene  and  joyful 
view  of  life  in  general.  There  ought  also  to  be 
a  love  of  play  and  occupation,  a  love  and  ca- 
pacity for  singing.  It  goes  without  saying 
that  purity  of  intentions  and  a  lovely,  womanly 
disposition  are  essential  requisites.  The  fuller 
the  educational  accomplishments  of  a  lady  all 
the  more  rapid  and  satisfactory  will  be  her 
progress  in  the  science." 

"The  means  at  the  disposal  of  those  willing 
to  take  the  course  are  generally  so  limited  as 
to  compel  a  curtailment  of  the  time  of  study  to 
six  months.  Nothing  but  inexorable  necessity 
could  have  enforced  such  a  reduction  of  time, 
rendering  next  to  impossible  the  acquisition  of 
even   such    knowledge  as  is    absolutely  inlis- 


44 


(^DARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


pensable.  Every  part  of  the  course  must  be 
shortened  too  much  in  order  to  render  it  pos- 
sible to  reach  the  end  at  all.  The  entire  scheme 
is  made  up  with  a  consciousness  that  the  pupils 
themselves  must  fill  the  gaps  in  their  develop- 
ment and  by  incessant  industry  and  sponta- 
neous labor  work  out  and  perfect  the  ideas  aud 
principles  mentioned  in  the  course.  There 
is  no  possibility  of  reaching  the  goal  desired  in 
so  short  a  time  unless  a  pupil  will  give  her  whole 
mind,  and  give  it  determinedly  and  persever- 
ing'\\  to  study. 

But  this  is  not  sufficient  unless  the  pupil  has 
also  learned  to  observe  and  study  the  phenom- 
ena of  her  own  lite  and  activity,  and  thereby 
learned  to  observe  and  guide  the  life  and  ac- 
tivity of  children.  In  this  direction  the  study 
of  the  kindergarten  ought  to  he  continuous. 
A  complete  education  for  bringing  up  and  edu- 
cating children  ought  to  make  the  pupil  theo- 
retically and  practically  conversant  with  all  the 
requirements  of  the  child  concerning  its  bodily 
(dietetic)  and  mental  (pedagogic)  needs  from 
the  cradle  to  school  age.  But  this  is  not  enough. 
The  normal  school  pupil  ought  also  to  he  en- 
abled to  impart  a  good  preparation  for  the  Brs1 
grade  of  the  elementary  classes  in  the  public 
schools.  It  is  not  possible,  however,  to  in- 
clude this  branch  in  a  short  course  of  only  six 
months.  A  second  course  is  necessary  to  give 
time  enough  for  that  kind  of  teaching.  In 
either  case,  however,  success  cannot  lie  com- 
pleted, unless  the  pupil  on  entering  the  normal 
school  is  sufficiently  prepared  as  regards  her 
school  education,  her  maturity  of  character  and 
good  judgment.  Such  efficient  preliminary 
preparation  will  alone  enable  the  pupil  to  avail 
herself  of  all  the  suggestions  offered  during  the 
course,  and,  after  leaving  the  school,  to  con- 
tinue the  study,  reflect  and  labor  for  the  pur- 
pose of  finishing  her  own  education." 

The  idea  of  Froebel  suggesting  the  possibility 
of  taking  the  kindergarten  course  in  six  months 
will  doubtless  seem  an  absurdity  to  many  kin- 
dergarteners to-day.  But  their  adverse  judg- 
ment will  be  somewhat  modified  when  we  come 
to  review  the  proposed  daily  schedule  given  in 
the  prospectus  of  his  training  school,  which 
laid  out  work  for  the  whole  day. from  seven  in  tin- 
morning  until  bedtime.  First  came  the  morning 
service  and  a  religious  lesson  which  attempted 
to  trace  the  evolution  of  religious  ideas  in 
the  child  and  thereby  to  indicate  a    method   of 


awakening  truly  religious  sentiments  in  the  little 
ones.  At  nine  o'clock  the  regular  school  day 
opened.  The  hour  from  nine  to  ten  o'clock  was 
spent  in  teaching  "the  science  of  the  phenom- 
ena and  laws  of  the  evolution  of  the  child  ;  of 
the  essential  nature  of  the  child  and  the  re- 
quirements of  his  nursing  and  his  education." 
During  the  two  hours  from  ten  to  twelve  o'clock 
the  principles  which  had  been  taught  theoreti- 
cally the  preceding  hour  were  practically  de- 
monstrated. These  demonstrations  were  sup- 
posed to  embrace  practical  exercises  in  personal 
intercourse,  appropriate  language  in  talking 
with  the  children,  accompanying  the  singing 
with  the  appropriate  practice  of  the  sense  and 
limbs."  The  specific  relations  between  these 
exercises  and  the  unfolding  of  the  soul  life  of 
the  child  as  an  individual  and  as  a  member  of 
the  social  whole  were  successfully  pointed  out . 
The  Mutter  End  Kose-Lieder  served  as  a  text 
book  in  these  lessons. 

The  afternoon  lesson  began  at  two  o'clock. 
Till  four  o'clock  the  gifts  and  occupations  were 
handled.  Seven  small  text  books  were  used. 
and  it  was  Frcebel's  intention  to  make  clear  at 
every  point  the  manifold  relations  between  the 
occupations  and  his  gifts  and  the  labors  of  man 
in  contact  with  the  circumstances  of  nature  and 
events  in  life.  The  hour  from  six  until  seven 
was  spent  in  practicing  the  occupations  and 
games  that  had  been  taken  up  during  the  day 
with  the  children  who  came  to  the  school  for 
that  purpose.  After  supper  the  pupils  gave 
further  attention  to  any  of  the  day's  exercises 
which  they  felt  they  had  not  mastered,  being 
helped  by  Frcebel  and  his  assistants. 

Such  was  the  prospectus  for  the  normal  kin- 
dergarten, as  laid  out  on  paper  in  1*47.  The 
criticisms  which  its  announcement  caused  re- 
sulted iii  some  modifications,  but  in  many  re- 
spects it  was  the  scheme  actually  carried  out 
a  little  later.  During  the  six  months  of  the 
course  Frcebel  devoted  his  whole  time  and  en- 
ergy to  his  pupils,  from  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning  until  bedtime,  never  wearying  of  ex- 
plaining, lecturing,  laboring  and  playing  with 
them.  And  what. the  reader  naturally  asks,  was 
the  compensation  required  for  all  this  trial? 
Half  a  thaler  each  week,  that  is,  about,  thirty- 
seven  cents  for  each   pupil. 

During  all  these  years  Frcebel's  schemes 
were  many,  one  being  to  found  an  institution 
for  the  support  and  education  of  orphans,  with 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


45 


a  model  kindergarten  and  a  normal  institute  for 
children's  nurses  and  kindergartners.  Mean- 
while he  kept  up  his  travels, with  head-quarters 
at  Keilhau.  Wherever  a  festival  could  be  ar- 
ranged iu  commemoration  of  Christmas  or  s<  »me 
dt  her  event,  there  was  Froebel  to  plan  and  lead 
the  kindergarten  games  as  a  special  attraction. 

We  may  not  find  it  out  of  place  right  here 
to  ask  ourselves,  How  did  Froebel  look  at  this 
time  in  his  life  ?  The  most  definite  description 
yet  published  occurs  in  the  "Story  of  My  Life" 
by  Georg  Ebers,  the  eminent  novelist,  as  trans- 
lated by  Marv  J  .  Safford.  Dr.  Ebers  was  eleven 
years  old  when  he  entered  the  Keilhau  school, 
in  the  spring  of  1848,  and  he  gives  this  pen 
picture  of  Froebel :  "When  I  came  to  Keilhau 
he  was  already  sixty-six  years  old,  a  man  of 
lofty  stature,  with  a  face  that  seemed  to  be 
carved  with  a  dull  knife,  out  of  brown  wood. 
His  long  nose,  strong  chin,  and  large  ears,  be- 
hind which  the  long  locks  parted  in  the  middle, 
were  smoothly  brushed,  and  would  have  ren- 
dered him  positively  ugly  had  not  his, Come  let 
us  live  with  our  children,  beamed  so  invitingly 
from  his  clear  eyes. 

People  did  not  think  whether  he  was  hand- 
some or  not ;  his  features  bore  the  impress  of  his 
intellectural  power  so  distinctly,  that  the  first 
glance  revealed  the  presence  of  a  remarkable 
man.  Yet  1  must  confess — and  his  portrait 
agrees  with  my  memory — that  his  face  by  no 
means  suggested  the  idealist  and  man  of  feeling  ; 
it  seemed  rather  expressive  of  shrewdness,  and 
to  have  been  lined  and  worn  by  several  con- 
flicts concerning  the  most  diverse  interests. 
But  his  voice  and  his  glance  were  generally  win- 
ning and  his  power  over  the  heart  of  the  child 
was  limitless.  A  few  words  were  sufficient  to 
win  the  shyest  boy  whom  he  desired  to  attract  ; 
and  thus  it  happened  that  even  when  lie  had 
been  with  us  only  a  few  weeks  he  was  never 
seen  crossing  the  courtyard  without  having  a 
group  of  the  younger  pupils  hanging  to  his  coat 
tails  and  clasping  his  hands  and  arms.  Usually 
they  were  persuading  him  to  tell  stories  and 
when  he  consented  to  do  so  the  older  pupils 
were  sine  to  Hock  around  him,  and  what  fire, 
what  animation  the  old  man  had  retained  !" 

This  whole  story  is  everywhere  dotted  with 
dark  spots  indicating  privation  on  the  part  of 
Froebel.  At  one  time  he  sold  all  of  his  house- 
hold furniture  at  public  auction  at  Rudolstadt 
to  help  him  in  the   cause  to  which  he  was  so 


thoroughly  devoted.  "When  he  was  in  these 
difficulties,"  writes Frau Froebel,  "he  seemed  to 
shrink  within  himself,  he  was  so  silent ;  he  no 
doubt  felt  the  hardship  of  being  without  a 
settled  home  after  all  these  years  of  toil."  At 
Keilhau  he  lived  in  the  most  modest  style  :  he 
endured  physical  discomfort  with  absolute  in- 
difference, absorbed  in  one  object.  "New 
Year's  eve"  Frau  Froebel  continues,  "was  al- 
ways kept  as  a  beautiful  traditional  festival  at 
Keilhau.  During  the  early  part  of  the  evening 
old  and  young  joined  in  all  kinds  of  games  and 
home  amusements  and  then  a  simple  prayer  was 
offered, with  a  retrospect  of  the  year,  followed 
by  a  general  shaking  of  hands  and  mutual  good 
wishes  for  the  New  Year,  as  the  bells  rang  out 
from  the  village  church.  At  this  moment,  in 
the  year  1848,  Froebel  appeared  on  the  scene, 
and  great  was  the  joy  of  the  assembled  house- 
hold that  he  had  kept  his  promise.  A  table 
covered  with  Christinas  gifts  was  quickly  ar- 
ranged for  him  in  the  blue  room,  and  I  reinem- 
ber  him  chatting  pleasantly  about  his  recent 
wanderings  ;  telling  those  in  Keilhau  about  the 
increased  support  his  kindergarten  cause  was 
receiving  iu  different  places  in  Thuringia,  de- 
scribing new  acquaintances  he  had  made,  until 
he  at  length  withdrew  in  the  early  hours  of  th* 
first  morning  of  the  New  Year.  Retiring  tc 
his  own  rooms  he  sat  up  until  breakfast  time 
inditing  a  letter  'To  Womanhood,'  as  he  after- 
wards told  us." 

During  the  winter  of  1848  Froebel  went  to 
Sehalkau,  in  company  with  Louise  Levin,  who 
helped  him  in  the  direction  of  the  games.  He 
lived  at  the  sehoolhouse  and  she  was  hospitably 
entertained  by  a  neighbor.  The  afternoons 
were  occupied  with  rehearsals  and  in  the  even- 
ing the  schoolmasters  of  that  section  used  to 
gather  around  Froebel  to  hear  more  about  his 
educational  views  and  talk  over  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  festival  which  it  was  proposed 
to  hold,  some  months  later,  but  which  was,  how- 
ever, forbidden  by  the  authorities.  A  similar 
visit  was  made  to  Brunn,  where  the  two  kinder- 
garten missionaries  were  guests  of  the  vicar. 

In  the  summer  of  1S4.S  Middendorf  published 
his  book  entitled  "The  Kindergarten"  and  dedi- 
cated it  to  the  German  parliament,  which  had 
just  assembled  at  Frankfort,  hoping  to  secure 
their  earnest  attention  to  the  system.  Froebel 
helped  him  in  correcting  the  proof  sheets  of 
this  book  and  meanwhile  busied  himself  in  pre- 


46 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


paring  for  a  public  gathering  at  Rudolstadt, 

issuing  invitations  to  many  schoolmasters  and 
other  prominent  people  from  all  parts  of  Ger- 
many. Places  of  entertainment  had  to  be 
provided  for  those,  who  came  from  a  distance 
and  I  he  children  of  the  neighborhood  were  prac- 
ticed in  the  games  and  taught  paper  folding, 
I  in  per  cutting  and  the  lath  interlacing  by  Frau- 
lein  Levin,  at  the  little  Eichfeld  schoolhouse. 
Meantime  Froebel  attended  a  meeting  at  Os- 
chatz,  where  a  resolution  was  unanimously 
passed  "That  the  governments  of  Saxony  and 
Meiningen  be  respectfully  urged  to  make  the 
support  of  kindergartens  obligatory  in  every 
parish  within  their  dominions,  as  the  best  pos- 
sible foundation  upon  which  to  rear  any  sys- 
tem of  public  instruction." 

The  Rudolstadt  meeting  came  in  June  and 
lasted  three  days.  Several  members  of  the 
national  legislature  were  present,  having  been 
sent  there  to  inquire  into Froebel's methods,  as 
well  as  representatives  of  reigning  families  in 
the  Thuringian  states.  Many  distinguished 
men  took  part  in  the  debates,  which  waxed 
warm.  There  was  a  strong  element  of  oppo- 
sition in  the  assembly  and  Froebel  and  his 
friends  were  often  challenged.  But  they  were 
able  to  defend  their  position  with  energy  and 
skill,  and  on  the  whole  their  cause  was  greatly 
benefited.  In  speaking  of  this  meeting  Hauseh- 
mann  says  :  '  'Although  some  people  might  have 
retained  intellectual  doubts  about  some  de- 
tails of  his  method,  no  one  went  away  from 
that  meeting  without  warmly  sympathizing  with 


his  work  as  a  whole.  No  one  could  wring  from 
him  the  undoubted  honor  of  having  brought  to 
light  some  neglected  truths  respecting  child- 
nature  and  of  giving  fresh  means  for  its  de- 
velopment." 

After  the  Rudolstadt  meeting  Froebel's  cor- 
respondence increased  greatly  and  expressions 
of  sympathy  flowed  in  upon  him  from  every 
quarter  and  greatly  encouraged  him  in  the  be- 
lief that  a  better  day  was  about  to  dawn.  He 
spent  the  following  winter  at  Dresden,  giving 
a  course  of  lectures  for  kindergartners  and  us- 
ing the  kindergarten  of  Adolph  Frankenberg 
and  his  wife  as  practice  ground.  He  also  gave 
a  second  course  to  ladies  and  gentlemen  inter- 
ested in  his  system,  being  guaranteed  an  ade- 
quate salary  for  his  work.  Meanwhile  Frau- 
lein  Levin  had  accepted  a  position  as  governess 
in  a  family  at  Reudsburg  and  they  met  at 
Bergedorf  during  the  Christmas  holidays,  1  s4<s, 
where  they  and  Alvine  Middendorf  happened 
to  be  visiting. 

About  this  time  Froebel  became  attracted  to 
the  village  of  Liebenstein  as  a  promising  loca- 
tion for  a  permanent  training  school  and  dur- 
ing the  Easter  vacation  he  went  there  from 
Dresden  to  look  for  a  house.  Liebenstein  is  a 
summer  resort  for  strangers  who  come  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  to  drink  the  waters  and 
he  felt  that  it  would  be  a  good  place  from 
which  to  extend  his  cause.  He  returned  there 
in  May,  "with  a  view, "says  Frau Froebel,  "to 
obtaining  a  lease  of  the  country  house, 'Marien- 
thal'  from  the  Duke  of  Meiningen." 


1849— 1852— MARIENTHAL. 


Fi;<ebel  secured  rooms  in  a  Liebenstein  farm- 
house through  the  kindness  of  Frau  Midler, 
and  he  began  to  live  there  with  his  pupils  and 
his  grand-niece,  Henrietta  Breymann,  (Frau 
Schrader)  as  housekeeper.  She  also  helped 
teach  some  of  the  children  who  were  beyond 
the  kindergarten  age.  We  come  now  to  the 
period  in  Froebel's  life  when  he  ceased  to  fight 
his  educational  battles  single-handed  and  in 
obscurity  and  was  thereafter  seconded  in  some 
measure  by  the  rich  and  the  powerful.  But 
for  the  aid  of  Baroness  B.  Von  Marenholtz- 
Bulow  and  her  friends  it  is  doubtful  if  the 
name  of  Friedrich  Froebel  would  have  come 
down  to  this  generation  as  being  of  any  im- 
portance.  All  of  the  reforms  in  this  world  are 


brought  about  by  visible  means,  and  most  of 
them  have  to  make  use  of  help  from  the  in- 
fluential and  the  wealthy  before  lasting  success 
is  secured.  How  could  Columbus  have  carried 
out  his  darling  scheme  and  thereby  changed  the 
world's  history  if  Isabel  had  not  pledged  her 
jewels  in  his  favor?  Andhowr  could  Washing- 
ton, notwithstanding  the  valor  and  self  sacri- 
fice of  his  countrymen,  have  brought  the  Amer- 
can  Revolution  to  a  triumphant  issue  in  the  way 
that  he  did  if  the  standard  of  France  had  not 
been  joined  with  the  flag  of  our  infant  republic  ? 
In  this  case  it  was  not  altogether  because  the 
Baroness  secured  for  Froebel  and  his  training 
school  a  delightful  home  at  Marienthal  for  the 
rest  of  his  life  and  furthered  his  plans  in  every 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


47 


possible  way  among  the  nobility  and  scientific 
men  of  the  day,  or  even  because  she  gave  her 
life  with  rare  devotion  and  lack  of  selfishness 
to  advancing  the  kindergarten  cause  in  differ- 
ent European  nations  that  her  alliance  proved 
of  such  great  importance  to  him.  There  was 
another  service  which  she  did  for  Frcebel,  she 
became  his  interpreter.  By  reading  her  "Remi- 
niscences" one  gets  a  clear  and  minute  account 
of  the  last  three  years  of  his  life,  which  serves 
as  a  key  to  the  whole.  Her  account  covers 
what  in  many  respects  is  the  most  interesting 
part  of  his  career. 

It  was  at  the  end  of  May,  1849,  that  the 
Baroness  reached  the  village,  where  she  had 
sojourned  during  previous  summers.  After 
the  usual  salutations  and  her  question  as  to 
what  was  happening  in  the  place  that  season 
she  was  told  by  her  landlady  that  a  few  weeks 
before  a  man  had  settled  down  on  a  small  farm 
near  the  springs  and  danced  and  played  with 
the  children  and  for  that  reason  was  called 
"the  old  fool."  Going  out  to  walk  some  days 
later  she  met  him  and  she  described  his  ap- 
pearance on  that  occasion  as  follows  :  "A  tall, 
spare  man  with  long  gra}'  hair,  was  leading  a 
group  of  children  between  the  ages  of  thi'ee 
and  eight,  most  of  them  barefooted  and  scantily 
clothed,  who  marched  two  and  two  up  a  hill, 
where  having  marshalled  them  for  play,  he 
practiced  with  them  a  song  belonging  to  it. 
The  loving  patience  and  abandon  with  which 
he  did  this,  the  whole  bearing  of  the  man  while 
the  children  played  various  games  under  his 
direction  were  so  moving  that  tears  came  into 
my  companions  ej'es  as  well  as  my  own." 

An  acquaintance  followed  which  soon  ripened 
into  friendship,  and  through  the  intercession  of 
the  Baroness,  Frcebel  obtained  a  lease  of  the 
castle  of  Marienthal  as  a  seminaiy  for  his  nor- 
mal classes.  How  this  arrangement  came  to  lie 
made  the  Baroness  explains  as  follows  :  "On 
a  walk  which  I  once  took  with  him,  we  came  to 
the  neighborhood  of  Liebenstein,  charmingly 
elevated  among  the  green  fields.  Froebel  stood 
still  and  said  :  'Look  around  you,  Fran  Maren- 
holtz.  This  would  be  a  beautiful  place  for  our 
institution,  and  even  the  name  would  suit  it  so 
well,  Marienthal,  the  vale  of  the  Marys,  whom 
he  wished  to  bring  up  as  the  mothers  of  hu- 
manity, as  the  first  Mary  brought  up  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.'  I  remarked  that  he 
might  petition  the  duke  to  grant  him  the  build- 


ing, which  was  standing  unused,  and  that  1 
would  try  to  help  him  through  the  Duchess  Ida. 
By  means  of  the  continued  promptings  of  her 
brother  on  the  part  of  the  duchess  this  end  was 
reached  at  the  end  of  some  months.  And  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  surprising  Frcebel  with  the 
official  permission  after  he  had  almost  given  up 
all  hope." 

In  the  month  of  July  Diesterwcg,  a  dis- 
tinguished German  educator,  came  to  Lieben- 
steiu  aud  was  introduced  to  Froebel  by  the 
Baroness.  He  became  much  interested  in  the 
principles  which  lie  at  the  foundation  of  Frce- 
bel's  system  and  with  the  Baroness  devoted 
considerable  time  during  the  summer  to  study- 
ing them.  It  was  also  in  July,  that  Fraulein 
Levin  secured  a  release  from  her  engagement 
at  Reudsburg  and  came  to  Liebenstein,  where 
for  a  short  time  she  shared  with  Fraulein  Brey- 
mann  the  duties  of  housekeeping  and  instruct- 
ing the  pupils,  but  the  latter  soon  went  to  her 
home,  being  in  delicate  health.  When  Louise 
Levin  arrived,  to  use  Froebel's  words  to  the 
Baroness,  "she  gave  to  his  institution  the 
stamp  of  family  life."  which  in  his  view  was  of 
the  highest  importance  to  an  enterprise  of  that 
kind.  During  the  month  of  September  Mid- 
dendorf  came  from  Keilhau  to  visit  his  friend, 
ami  while  he  was  at  Liebenstein  a  sufficient 
sum  was  raised,  chiefly  from  among  the  no- 
bility, to  establish  a  local  kindergarten.  A 
little  later  he  was  invited,  through  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Baroness  to  deliver  two  lectures 
before  the  court  at  Weimar,  which  materially 
advanced  the  kindergarten  cause.  In  October 
Froebel  went  to  Hamburg  for  the  winter,  and 
Fraulein  Levin  remained  at  Liebenstein  to  con- 
tinue training  the  pupils  and  to  receive  new 
ones,  also  taking  charge  of  the  kindergarten 
as  a  practice  field  for  the  pupils. 

"Froebel  passed  a  busy  winter  in  Hamburg, 
by  the  invitation  of  the  AVomen's  Union, 
where  society  was  much  divided  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  'higher  education  of  women,'"  says 
Frau  Froebel,  "and  where  he  undoubtedly 
overtaxed  his  strength.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  felt  strengthened  and  upheld  by  the  sym- 
pathy and  interest  his  views  met  with  during 
his  lectures.  With  many  aspects  of  the  wo- 
man question  agitating  the  public  mind  at  that 
time  Froebel  had  but  little  sympathy,  but  he 
had  the  great  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  first 
Burger-kindergarten  opened  under  his  foster- 


48 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


ing  care,  as  well  as  many  private  kindergar- 
tens." During  the  Christinas  holidays  he  came 
back  to  Liebenstein  and  addressed  the  parents 
of  the  kindergarten  children,  also  joining  with 
the  little  ones  in  the  customary  celebration. 
While  he  was  there  the  negotiations  for  the 
lease  of  Marienthal  were  completed  and  he 
began  the  return  journey  to  Hamburg  New 
Year's  eve.  Just  as  he  was  finishing  his  lec- 
tures there  Louise  Levin  moved  the  school 
from  the  farmhouse,  where  it  had  been  quar- 
tered for  a  year,  to  Marienthal,  and  Froebel 
himself  went  directly  from  Hamburg  to  Keil- 
hau,  to  talk  with  his  friends  there  about  his 
intended  marriage  with  Louise  Levin.  This 
plan  met  with  opposition  because  he  could  not 
give  the  required  proof  that  he  had  sufficienl 
means  to  support  a  widow,  in  the  event  of  his 
death.  lie  also  visited  Blankenburg  and  was 
presented  with  the  title  of  honorary  citizen, 
but  when  lie  asked  that  this  might  be  trans- 
ferred to  his  future  wife  the  people  refused 
to  grant  the  request.  Fran  Froebel  says  that 
he  accepted  this  rebuff  with  his  customary  pa- 
tience under  trial  and  then  went  to  Marienthal 
to  resume  his  place  in  the  school. 

He  reached  there  with  the  first  awakening 
touches  of  spring,  and.  to  quote  once  more 
Frau  Frcebel,"We  gaily  decorated  every  door- 
way with  an  archway  of  green  leaves  to  bid 
him  welcome.  I  was  painfully  aware  of  the 
expression  of  weariness  on  his  face.  'Oh  !  I 
shall  quickly  recover  in  this  beautiful  place' 
was  his  cheerful  answer,  "city  life  with  its  ex- 
citements has  worn  me  out,  but  in  the  rural 
seclusion  of  this  place  and  the  simplicity  of 
life  at  home  I  am  sure  to  get  well  again.'  " 

At  this  point,  in  order  that  we  may  get  some 
idea  of  Marienthal  and  its  surroundings,  the 
reader  will  be  interested  in  a  description  of  that 
section  as  it  appeared  to  an  American  kinder- 
gartner  two  or  three  summers  ago  :  "We  fi- 
nally come  out  to  the  light  again  refreshed  by 
our  temporary  absence  from  the  outside  world, 
and  drive  on  to  Liebenstein.  Here  we  see  the 
place  that  Madam  Von  Bulow  has  made  fa- 
mous ;  here  Fraulein  Heevort  shows  us  the 
dining-room  of  the  hotel  where  she  once,  as  a 
child,  met  Froebel.  The  house  and  hotel  bor- 
der the  long  narrow  street,  with  the  baths  and 
springs  at  the  upper  end.  We  drink  the  spark- 
ling water,  which  is  delicious,  and  think  of 
this  as   another  spot  in  the  Thuringian  Forest, 


where  time  might  be  pleasantly  spent.  We  im- 
agine Froebel  walking  through  this  village  with 
the  children  at  his  heels,  and  Madam  Yon  Bil- 
low's account  makes  us  wish  we,  too,  could 
have  followed  them  up  to  the  lawn  where  they 
played  their  games.  We  refresh  ourselves  with 
some  delicious  German  coffee,  and  drive  to 
Marienthal.  The  path  Frcebel  and  his  friend 
often  walked  lies  across  the  fields  besides  us. 
and  as  we  stop  in  front  of  the  house  we  feel 
the  reality  of  the  life  so  devoted  to  an  idea  that 
the  roots  were  firmly  fixed  in  that  lifetime. 
Through  the  courtesy  of  the  owner  of  Marien- 
thal we  see  the  house.  Two  stories  ami  a.  roof 
of  tiles,  a  middle  doorway,  and  rows  of  win- 
dows face  one.  A  square  garden  extends  to 
the  road  from  the  house,  and  stretches  to  the 
right  and  around  to  the  back.  To  the  left  is  a 
courtyard,  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  barns 
and  outhouses,  the  fourth  side  being  open  to 
the  house.  Many  a  primitive  scene  is  being 
enacted  here.  All  kinds  of  beasts  and  birds 
are  within  the  enclosure.  Threshing  is  going 
on, and  the  bright  dress  of  the  peasants  at  work 
enlivens  the  scene.  We  speak  of  Froebel's 
'Song  of  the  Barnyard  Gate,' and  wonder  if 
he  got  his  inspiration  here.  We  go  inside  and 
see  the  room  where  Froebel's  second  marriage 
took  place  and  the  room  where  he  passed  out 
of  the  life  where  'we  behold  but  darkly,'  into 
one  of  light." 

J n  the  year  1850,  Liebenstein  was  one  of 
the  most  fashionable  resorts  of  Central  Ger- 
many and  many  noted  visitors  came  to  Marien- 
thal, Froebel  being  the  wonder  and  talk  of  the 
town.  The  Baroness  gives  this  description  of 
one  'such  visit,  when  she  piloted  a  party  of 
which  Dr.  Gustav,  editor  of  "The  Europa," 
was   a  member  : — 

"We  had  now  arrived  at  the  gate  of  Marien- 
thal and  heard  the  voices  of  the  children  sing- 
ing in  the  kindergarten,  whom  Froebel  himself 
led  in  the  afternoon,  in  order  to  give  to  his 
pupils  instruction  in  the  manner  of  conducting 
the  movement  plays.  He  was  in  the  midst  of 
the  troop  of  little  ones  when  we  entered.  'This 
then,  is  the  house  of  the  prophet,'  said  some 
one  in  our  party,  as  we  entered  the  great  court- 
yard of  the  Marienthalhouse,  which  stood  back, 
two  stories  high,  looking  more  like  the  dwell- 
ing house  of  a  farm  than  like  a  castle,  but 
pleasant  and  homelike  in  the  midst  of  the  old 
green  trees  that  surrounded  it.      In  the  large 


MONUMENT    NEAR    MARIENT1IAL. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


49 


square  before  the  house  door,  to  which  stone 
steps  led  up,  was  a  grass  plot  upon  which  was 
planted  some  shrubbery,  and  on  one  side  were 
very  beautiful  old  lindens,*  which  in  flowering 
time  spread  their  fragrance  far  and  wide.  In 
their  shade  were  some  benches  and  tables  on 
which  in  good  summer  weather  Froebel  was 
accustomed  to  give  his  morning  lessons. 

At  the  moment  when  we  entered  he  stood 
in  the  midst  of  the  courtyard  surrounded  by 
his  pupils  and  a  troop  of  little  children,  who 
had  wound  themselves  around  him  as  their  cen- 
tral point  in  the  play  ;Little  thread,  little 
thread,  like  a  little  wheel,'  and  were  just  be- 
ginning to  unwind  their  skein  again.  With 
glowing  face  and  eyes  beaming  with  happiness 
Froebel  greeted  the  company,  immediately  ask- 
ing whether  they  would  like  to  see  some  of  the 
movement  plays  before  going  up  into  the  hall. 
The  guests  were  quite  willing.  With  truly 
childish  delight  he  again  conducted  some  of 
those  ingenious  plays,  the  first  gymnastics  of 
the  childish  limbs.  These  he  copied  from  the 
traditional  plays  of  children  and  the  people, 
leaving  out  their  rougher  features  in  order  to 
make  them  serve  his  educational  idea ;  partly 
to  make  children  represent,  somewhat  dramati- 
cally, facts  out  of  the  life  of  nature  andmau." 

A  long  discussion  relative  to  the  principles 
involved  in  the  play  followed,  and  when  it  was 
ended  and  the  children  had  sung  their  closing 
song  they  were  led  to  the  door  by  the  young 
ladies  who  were  playing  with  them.  Froebel 
then  invited  the  company  to  follow-  him  into 
the  upper  story  of  the  house,  where  he  lived. 
He  crossed  the  great  hall,  situated  in  the  midst 
of  the  rooms,  the  four  windows  of  which  com- 
manded a  view  of  delightful  landscape  extend- 
ing to  the  distant  mountains  of  the  Rhone.  In 
the  midst  of  the  hall  stood  a  long  table  cov- 
ered with  Froebel's  "gifts  for  play"  and  many 
specimens  of  children's  work  from  various 
kindergartens. 

Early  in  August,  1850,  a  notable  play  festi- 
val was  held  at  Marienthal,  conducted  by  Froe- 
bel  and  Middendorf,  in  which  three  hundred 
children  from  all  the  surrounding  villages  par- 
ticipated, with  their  teachers.  The  multitude 
of  spectators  was  ranged  outside  the  square, 
in  the  shadow  of  the  surrounding  woods.  A 
concluding  address  was  given  by  Middendorf 
and  the  whole  affair  made  a  profound  impres- 
sion on  the  community.     In  writing  about  it 


afterwards  Froebel  said  :  "Yes.it  was  a  festi- 
val of  the  union  of  nature,  man  and  God,  and 
God's  blessing  rests  on  such  a  day,  as  the  old 
peasant  expressed  it.  How  easily  might  such 
child  and  youth  festivals  be  exalted  to  a  uni- 
versal people's  festival !  Should  we  not  do 
everything  to  call  such  festivals  into  life,  that 
so  we  may  at  last  reach  what  the  hearts  of  all 
desire,  an  all-sided  'unity  of  life?'  " 

In  this  way  the  summer  was  spent.  "Froe- 
bel loved  to  teach, "says  his  widow, "even  whilst 
in  the  act  of  walking;  here  he  drew  our  atten- 
tion to  the  stratification  of  the  rocks,  there  to 
a  tuft  of  moss,  or  to  some  other  plant  strug- 
gling for  life  upon  a  barren  stone,  steadily  ex- 
panding by  virtue  of  a  principle  of  life  within." 
His  first  lessons  were  generally  given  out  of 
doors  in  the  morning,  as  well  as  the  first  les- 
son in  the  afternoon  during  the  summer  months. 
Toward  evening  groups  of  children  put  in  an 
appearance  in  front  of  the  house ;  they  came 
from  the  neighboring  village  of  Nehweina." 
The  last  daylight  hours  were  passed  in  the 
games  with  these  children  and  all  of  Froebel's 
time  when  he  was  not  teaching  was  taken  up 
with  visitors.  Consequently  he  overtaxed  his 
strength  with  the  work  of  the  year  and  doubt- 
less shortened  his  days.  But  according  to  the 
Baroness  he  was  well  preserved,  for  she  writes 
that  no  one  who  did  not  know  the  fact  could 
believe  that  his  age  was  sixty-eight.  "The 
youth  and  freshness  of  intellect,  which  was  so 
remarkable  in  him  prevented  one  from  think- 
ing of  his  actual  age,  whose  infirmities  had  not 
yet  appeared." 

The  course  of  training  ended  in  November 
and  new  pupils  were  immediately  received. 
About  this  time  Dr.  Wichard  Lange,  who  after- 
wards married  Middendorf's  daughter,  came 
to  Marienthal  and  a  long  discussion  occurred 
between  him  and  Froebel  regarding  the  carry- 
ing on  of  the  latter's  work  in  the  future.  Froebel 
maintained  that  Dr.  Lange  was  the  I  test  fitted 
person  living,  to  take  up  his  work  when  he 
should  leave  it  and  hand  it  down  to  coming 
generations.  But  Lange  felt  that  no  man  could 
succeed  Froebel  and  that  the  chief  apostles  of 
the  kindergarten  must  thereafter  be  women, 
and  that  he  himself,  while  in  hearty  sympathy 
with  Froebel  and  his  system,  must  devote  his 
faculties  to  teaching  in  the  higher  grades. 
This  decision  was  a  great  disappointment  to 
Froebel,  although  in  all  probability  a  wise  one 


50 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


on  the  part  of  Lange,  who  subsequently  did 
the  world  and  the  cause  a  valuable  service  by 
publishing  a  book  on  "The  Understanding 
of  Friedrich  Froebel." 

The  winter  which  followed  was  a  quiet  one. 
On  Christmas  eve  the  pupils  decorated  Froe- 
bel's  study,  making  it  look  as  though  the  whole 
forest  had  moved  in.  Each  member  of  the 
family  was  assigned  a  separate  table  covered 
with  gifts  and  "Froebel's  fatherly  words  seemed 
to  endow  these  presents  with  a  higher  meaning 
for  us  all."  On  New  Year's  eve  the  family 
was  invited  to  Liebenstein  to  enjoy  private 
theatricals. 

Fraulein  Levin  remained  at  Marienthal  for 
two  years  as  Froebel's  assistant,  and  they  were 
married  July  9th,  1851.  The  groom  was  then 
at  the  height  of  his  popularity  as  an  educator, 
and  success  as  a  kindergarten  teacher,  being 
sixty-nine  years  old.  The  Baroness  thus  de- 
scribes her  meeting  with  him  a  few  days  before 
the  wedding  :  "I  found  Froebel  at  his  writing- 
table  in  his  study.  He  greeted  me  with  an  ex- 
pression of  the  profoundest  satisfaction.  It 
was  clear  how  truly  happy  and  pleased  he  was 
made  by  the  new-found  home  whichhad  already 
formed  a  cultivated  family  circle  of  young, 
bright  pupils,  in  quiet  undisturbed  domesticity. 
The  battle  of  life  lay  behind  him. he  had  parted 
from  the  world  which  did  not  understand  him, 
and  whose  applause  he  had  never  sought. 
He  now  found  himself  in  rural  surroundings, 
which  he  had  always  desired,  and  he  could 
give  himself  up,  unmolested  by  opposition  and 
obstacles,  to  the  further  development  of  his 
idea  and  the  improvement  of  the  practical  mean- 
ing of  it,  and  could  sow  the  seeds  of  his  doc- 
trine in  the  receptive  minds  of  his  female  pu- 
pils. He  was  assisted  and  well  taken  care  of 
by  her  whom  he  had  chosen  to  be  the  com- 
panion of  his  last  days.  After  a  life  of  labors 
and  cares,  trouble  and  combat,  he  could  to  all 
appearances,  reckon  on  a  beautiful,  peaceful 
evening  of  life,  which  would  allow  him  to  look 
with  increasing  clearness  upon  the  development 
of  his  cause  and  fill  up  the  gaps  still  existing 
in  it." 

The  wedding  wras  a  gay  affair,  in  spite  of  the 
advanced  age  of  the  groom.  On  the  previous 
evening  the  pupils  brought  their  presents,  with 
all  kinds  of  play,  songs,  original  poems  and 
allegorical  representations.  The  rooms  were 
adorned  with  flowers,  and  Froebel  himself  led 


off  in  some  of  the  kindergarten  plays,  all  present 
taking  part .  The  next  day  the  bride  and  groom 
stood  at  a  flower-decked  altar  while  Pastor 
Ruckert,  a  brother  of  the  poet,  united  them, 
taking  occasion  to  speak  in  deep  recognition 
of  Froebel's  blessed  work.  Middendorf  was 
groomsman  and  the  Baroness  bridesmaid. 
AVhen  the  ceremony  was  over  we  are  told  that 
Frcebel  met  the  congratulations  of  his  friends 
with  streaming  eyes  and  was  as  gay  and  as 
happy  as  a  child,  joining  in  the  dancing  until 
late  in  the  evening,  as  did  Middendorf,  re- 
gardless of  their  advanced  age.  As  the  com- 
pany dispersed  he  said:  "Now  we  will  go  to 
work  with  new  power,"  and  the  next  morn- 
ing he  met  his  classes  as  usual. 

Frau  Froebel  speaks  of  her  feelings  at  this 
time  as  follows  :  "I  was  at  rest  and  happy  in 
my  work  for  him  and  for  the  object  he  had  in 
view.  In  childlike  veneration  I  had  first  of  all 
tried  to  approach  him  in  thought;  and  in  his 
ineffable  goodness  of  heart  for  the  weak  Froe- 
bel had  drawn  out  my  trust ;  at  length  there  was 
on  both  sides  a  desire  to  be  legally  linked  by 
the  closest  tie.  His  age  did  not  trouble  me  at 
all ;  in  mine  eyes  he  was  the  greatest  and  best  of 
men,  and  I  only  marveled  how  he  could  con- 
descend to  care  for  a  woman  so  much  beneath 
his  level  in  every  respect.  My  one  anxiety 
was  to  make  sure  that  the  rather  unusual  step 
of  marriage  at  his  age  would  not  do  harm  to 
his  work  in  the  world.  The  wedding  day  was 
truly  a  high  festival  of  the  soul  for  me.  We 
called  together  a  few  friends  and  in  their 
presence  and  that  of  our  pupils  Pastor  Ruckert 
asked  a  blessing  on  our  union.  His  Avoids 
seemed  as  though  they  had  been  spoken  out  of 
mine  own  heart.  We  did  not  keep  a  honey- 
moon, we  were  so  happy  every  day  of  our  lives 
that  we  did  not  wish  for  anything  more." 

The  number  of  pupils  was  large  that  sum- 
mer and  a  gala  day  was  observed,  when  the  kin- 
dergarten children  assembled  from  all  the  neigh- 
boring villages  on  the  grounds  of  the  castle 
Altenstein,  where  Frau  Froebel  gave  special  in- 
struction to  the  children  of  the  ducal  family. 
But  early  in  August  a  blow  was  dealt  the  kin- 
dergarten cause  by  the  Prussian  government 
which  ultimately  caused  the  death  of  its  founder. 
This  was  an  edict  prohibiting  all  public  kin- 
dergartens throughout  the  country,  occasioned 
by  the  published  utterances  of  Karl  Froebel, 
nephew  of  Friedrich,  which  were  regarded  as 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


51 


socialistic  and  even  atheistic.  Strenuous  efforts 
were  made  by  Froebel  and  all  bis  friends  to  con- 
vince the  minister  of  state  that  a  mistake  had 
been  made  in  confounding  uncle  and  nephew. 
But  these  efforts  were  unavailing,  although  Froe- 
bel sent  copies  to  Berlin  of  every  book  and 
pamphlet  he  had  ever  written  and  the  Baroness 
gave  Froebel's  petition  to  the  king  personally. 
The  government  was  obdurate  and  the  edict 
wns  not  revoked  until  1860. 

In  September  a  teachers'  convention  was  held 
in  the  hall  of  the  Liebenstein  Baths,  which  was 
largely  attended  by  the  friends  of  Froebel.  It 
began  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  with  Dies- 
terweg  in  the  chair.  After  he  had  welcomed 
the  company  reports  were  given  of  the  different 
kindergartens  in  the  country,  in  which  Froebel 
and  Middendorf  joined.  In  the  afternoon 
Froebel  presented  a  statement  regarding  his 
work  "with  the  most  peculiar  vividness  and 
impressiveness  and  deepest  conviction  of  its 
value,  which  made  a  universal  impression  and 
called  out  great  unanimity  of  opinion.  This 
statement  dealt  chiefly  with  the  practical  part  of 
the  kindergarten  system — the  early  use  of  the 
child's  powers  for  manipulation  and  productive 
activity."  The  nest  morning  Counsellor  Peter 
opened  the  convention  as  chairman  and  the 
statement  was  thoroughly  discussed,  the  debate 
pertaining  for  the  most  part  to  the  practical  ap- 
plication of  Froebel's  methods,  without  enter- 
ing into  the  fundamental  idea  of  the  scheme. 
In  the  afternoon  the  company  witnessed  the 
plays  of  the  Liebenstein  children  with  much 
enthusiasm  and  frequent  applause,  much  to 
Froebel's  delight.  The  games  were  also  played 
in  the  evening,  under  the  lead  of  Frau  Froebel, 
many  of  the  visitors  participating.  On  the 
third  morning  the  convention  passed  a  "Dec- 
laration" of  its  views  concerning  Froebel's 
ideas  which  was  favorable  to  the  kindergarten. 

It  was  also  proposed  by  this  gathering  that 
Froebel  should  write  an  essay  on  his  system, 
publish  "A  Kindergarten  Guide"  for  teachers, 
and  also  establish  a  new  periodical  to  further 
the  cause.  All  these  things  he  promised  to 
undertake,  but  he  was  not  spared  to  do  any  of 
them.  Many  discussions  followed  on  this  the 
last  day  of  the  convention.  The  Baroness  says 
that  a  warm  and  lively  sympathy  prevailed  and 
that  every  individual  present  was  intent  upon 
expressing 'recognition  of  Froebel  and  making 
him  forget  the  injustice  of  the  government  pro- 


hibition of  kindergartens.  But  according  to 
Frau  Froebel's  Reminiscences  he  was  much  dis- 
appointed in  the  failure  of  the  convention  to  en- 
ter into  the  real  spirit  of  his  plans  and  to  adopt 
measures  for  their  intelligent  advancement. 
She  puts  it  in  this  way  :  "Froebel  himself  was 
much  more  mortified  by  the  refusal  of  an  in- 
vestigation of  his  work  than  by  the  prohibition 
on  the  part  of  the  Prussian  government." 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Froebel  exerted 
himself  to  have  Middendorf  leave  Keilhau  and 
live  at  Marienthal,  in  the  hope  that  they  might 
work  together  for  the  rest  of  their  days.  But 
the  Keilhau  community  could  not  spare  him, 
much  to  Froebel's  regret.  Late  in  the  autumn 
the  Baroness  left  Liebenstein  for  her  winter 
home  in  Berlin,  having  first  arranged  to  live 
during  the  next  summer  in  the  upper  story  of 
the  kindergarten  building,  that  she  might  more 
closely  study  the  kindergarten  children.  Re- 
garding her  departure  she  writes  :  "The  pic- 
ture of  idyllic  rural  and  domestic  repose  which 
Marienthal  afforded  at  that  time  and  the  pro- 
tection and  care  in  which  I  left  Froebel,  in  view 
of  the  watchfulness  and  fidelity  of  his  wife, 
made  the  parting  easy  and  free  from  any  pre- 
sentiments that  it  would  be  for  the  last  time." 
After  she  reached  Berlin  Froebel  sent  her  a  short 
statement  of  his  theories  which  was  an  expla- 
nation of  symbolism  and  which  is  often  referred 
to  as  "Froebel's  last  words."  She  speaks  of  it 
as  a  "short  and  pregnant  statement,  in  spite  of 
its  abstract  subject,  written  with  great  clear- 
ness." She  did  not  feel  justified,  however,  in 
publishing  it,  and  now  that  she  is  dead  there 
is  but  little  prospect  of  finding  any  trace  of  it. 

During  the  winter  which  followed,  owing  to 
the  obstacles  which  stood  between  him  and  the 
carrying  out  of  his  plans,  Froebel  seriously  en- 
tertained the  project  of  immigrating  to  this  coun- 
try. His  wife  had  a  brother  living  in  Philadel- 
phia and  a  scheme  for  establishing  a  kinder- 
garten training  school  in  that  city  was  sent  to 
him.  Years  before  Froebel  had  entertained 
the  same  idea  and  even  made  some  arrange- 
ments to  immigrate  with  a  friend  who  finally 
came  here  without  him.  It  is  doubtful,  how- 
ever, if  Froebel  could  have  made  any  substan- 
tial progress  with  his  system  if  he  had  lived 
to  set  foot  in  the  United  States.  Of  course 
he  might  have  found  an  interpreter  here  who 
would  have  advanced  his  cause,  but  his  own 
efforts,  it  is  safe  to  predict,  would   have  been 


52 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


futile.  There  is  no  evidence  that  he  ever  paid 
any  attention  to  the  English  language  and  his 
personal  appearance  at  that  time  of  life  would 
have  told  heavily  against  him  in  a  foreign 
land.  He  would  have  been  regarded  us  an 
ideal  enthusiast,  as  an  intense  specimen  of  the 
"crank,"  with  greater  positiveness  here  than 
he  was  in  Germany.  It  was  better  by  far  that 
Froebel  remained  at  home  ;  that  the  Baroness 
became  his  biographer  and  representative  in 
Europe  and  that  on  Elizabeth  Peabody  was 
laid  the  burden  and  the  glory  of  transplanting 
the  kindergarten  to  America. 

During  the  winter  which  followed  the  Baron- 
ess received  occasional  letters  from  Froebel  and 
his  wife  expressing  great  content  with  their 
surroundings.  Occasionally  mention  was  made 
of  his  being  slightly  ill  and  temporarily  sus- 
pending work,  but  for  the  most  part  his  usual 
duties  were  uninterrupted.  In  a  letter  to  a 
friend  in  America,  dated  May  2.  1895,  Fran 
Froebel  writes  as  follows  regarding  that  time  in 
her  life  : — 

"Faithful  labor  for  the  true  welfare  of  others 
is  sure  to  add  to  our  own  welfare,  to  our  peace 
of  mind.  I  have  experienced  this  in  my  pa- 
ternal home  as  well  as  by  the  side  of  my  noble 
husband.  With  my  mind's  eye  I  see  him  clearly 
now  as  he  used  to  put  down  his  pen  late  in  the 
evening,  after  a  long  day  passed  in  teach- 
ing his  disciples  and  conversing  with  visitors. 
and  to  turn  to  me  with  an  expression  of  serenest 
jo}7  in  his  countenance  and  to  speak  in  a  clear 
and  restful  voice  words  showing  that  he  had 
written  some  educational  thesis  in  order  to  re- 
cover his  own  self,  his  individual  consciousness 
from  within  the  maze  of  foreign  impressions 
left  behind  by  the  experiences  of  the  day. 
This  wonderful  power  and  love  of  work  the 
Almighty  had  bestowed  on  him  that  through  it 
vast  multitudes  should  be  blessed.  And  now 
I  hope  and  trust  that  there  are  great  many  ac- 
tively engaged  in  singleness  of  purpose  to  con- 
tinue to  erect  the  edifice  of  which  Froebel  laid 
the  foundation,  the  edifice  of  the  natural  edu- 
cation of  man." 

The  idea  of  observing  the  seventieth  birth- 
day of  Froebel  with  a  notable  celebration  origi- 
nated with  Middendorf,  who  knew  that  Froebel 
regarded  his  seventieth  year  as  the  most  im- 
portant period  of  life,  the  time  for  the  com- 
plete survey  of  one's  owm  as  well  as  of  human 
life  in  general.     At  sunrise,  on  the  morning  of 


April  21,  1852,  Froebel  was  awakened  by  the 
festal  song  of  his  pupils  and  he  spake  to  them 
briefly  in  recognition  of  the  day.  The  Baron- 
ess could  not  be  present  because  of  sickness, 
but  Middendorf  told  her  the  full  story  of  the 
day,  and  she  describes  it  in  detail.  To  her  we 
are  indebted  for  this  picture:  "As  Froebel 
stepped  out  of  his  chamber  into  the  lecture- 
room  he  stood  still  on  the  threshold,  taken  by 
surprise,  admiring,  with  his  eyes  beaming  with 
joy,  the  beautiful  decoration  of  the  room,  which 
was  adorned  with  flowers  in  flower-pots,  fes- 
toons and  wreaths,  and  the  table  richly  covered 
with  presents  of  all  kinds.  Again  the  song 
hurst  out  from  the  semicircle  of  scholars 
dressed  in  white  holiday  garments,  ornamented 
with  green  wreaths,  which  expressed  the  mean- 
ing of  the  ornamentation  and  pointed  to  the 
blessing  which  would  go  forth  to  the  world  of 
childhood  out  of  Froebel's  work.  Then  Madam 
Froebel  handed  out  her  birthday  present  and 
the  scholars  followed  with  an  orange  tree  bear- 
ing flowers  and  fruit,  which  Froebel  had  often 
pointed  out  to  them  as  a  symbol  of  the  united 
ages  of  man  in  leaves,  buds,  flowers  and  fruit 
borne  at  the  same  time, representing  childhood, 
youth,  manhood  and  old  age." 

Among  the  presents  was  a  picture  of  Pes- 
talozzi,  an  illustrated  Bible  and  an  engraving 
of  Raphael's  Madonna,  together  with  tokens 
from  the  neighboring  kindergarten  children  and 
those  at  Keilhau.  In  the  afternoon  the  chil- 
dren came  from  Salzung  and  Liebenstein  to 
sing  him  a  song  and  play  their  games,  while 
at  sunset  the  postman  brought  a  bag  of  letters 
"from  the  Lower  Rhine  to  the  Baltic"  testify- 
ing to  the  powerful  influence  of  Froebel's  teach- 
ings and  the  honor  and  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held.  In  the  evening  Pastor  Ruckert  and  his 
family  were  visitors  at  Marienthal  and  the  pu- 
pils acted  a  dramatic  farce,  which  was  followed 
by  kindergarten  games.  Then  the  company 
sang  a  song  composed  for  the  occasion  and  a 
green  wreath  was  placed  on  Froebel's  head  by 
one  of  the  pupils.  Writing  about  this  day 
Fran  Froebel  says  :  "He  was  in  the  best  of 
spirits,  but  I  noticed  that  his  strength  failed 
him  occasionally.  He  was,  nevertheless,  the 
life  and  soul  of  our  party  and  until  late  in  the 
evening  he  wras  seen  distributing  trifles  as  gifts 
to  friends." 

According  to  Middendorf  Froebel's  life  im- 
mediately   after    the  celebration  was  happier 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


53 


and  more  tranquil  than  ever  before,  and  he  en- 
joyed his  existence  like  a  child.  But  very  soon 
a  new  cause  for  disturbance  arose  because  there 
appeared  a  number  of  letters  in  the  daily  pa- 
pers from  the  contending  religious  parties  of 
the  day  with  claims  from  each  of  them  that  he 
sympathized  with  its  particular  views.  His 
own  understanding  of  Christianity  was  far 
clearer  than  any  opinions  held  by  them  and 
he  could  only  regard  their  assertions  concern- 
ing him  as  false.  Therefore  he  undertook  to 
formulate  a  statement  of  his  religious  views 
for  publication  and  sent  it  to  the  Baroness  at 
Berlin.  But  his  bodily  weakness  and  agitated 
mind  prevented  him  from  putting  forth  an  ef- 
fort worthy  of  himself,  and  she  wrote  him  that 
it  would  be  better  not  to  print  the  manuscript 
and  he  accordingly  requested  her  to  return  it  to 
him. 

Shortly  after  the  birthday  celebration,  dur- 
ing Whitsuntide,  there  was  a  large  gathering  of 
teachers  at  Gotha  and  Froebel  was  invited  to 
be  present.  He  and  his  wife  left  Marienthal 
very  early  in  the  morning,  a  carriage  drive 
being  necessary  before  taking  the  trip  bv  rail. 
When  he  entered  the  hall,  in  the  midst  of  the 
exercises,  the  whole  assembly  rose  to  do  him 
honor.  At  the  end  of  the  speech  that  was  in 
progress  when  he  came  in  the  president  gave 
him  a  hearty  welcome,  which  was  followed  by 
three  cheers  from  the  whole  company.  Froe- 
bel thanked  them  in  a  few  simple  words  and 
then  took  up  the  discussion  of  the  subject  in 
hand,  "Instruction  in  the  Natural  Sciences," 
and  was  heard  with  profound  attention.  After 
the  convention  he  was  made  especially  happy 
in  the  garden  of  a  friend  who  lived  in  Gotha, 
where  he  examined  almost  every  group  of 
flowers  and  gratefully  acknowledged  all  the 
good  things  which  were  offered  him.  He  also 
visited  the  local  kindergarten  and  explained 
the  intellectual  significance  of  some  of  his  oc- 
cupations   and  material. 

In  the  evening  he  took  part  in  a  reunion  of 
the  friends  of  his  cause,  speaking  of  the  im- 
portance of  the  kindergarten  for  women  and 
the  duty  of  teachers  to  learn  to  understand  it 
on  its  own  theory,  and  prepare  for  its  intro- 
duction into  the  schools.  But  the  strain  of 
this  effort  was  too  much  for  him  and  he  urged 
his  wife  to  leave  at  an  early  hour.  "During 
our  drive  home,"  she  writes,  "•the  weather  being- 
fine,  he  stopped  the  carriage  at  the  crest  of  the 


hill  and  we  got  out  and  walked  up  the  slope  of 
the  neighboring  summit,  'der  Glockli,'  as  we 
called  it.  There  we  had  often  spent  happy 
hours  together,  but  I  noticed  then  the  difficulty 
he  had  in  walking  and  unutterable  fears  filled 
my  mind.  Arrived  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  he 
said  :  T  should  somehow  like  my  name  to  be 
placed  here  when  I  am  gone.'  On  our  return 
to  Marienthal  we  found  the  whole  house  gar- 
landed with  evergreens  by  the  pupils.  Visitors 
called  and  Froebel  again  became  animated  by 
their  presence,  but  his  strength  was  ebbing 
fast." 

Up  to  this  time  there  is  no  evidence  that 
Froebel  was  ever  seriously  sick.  For  seventy 
years  he  had  been  a  constant  worker,  devoting 
but  little  time  to  recreation  save  as  he  found 
it  in  his  daily  wTork  with  the  children,  and  spar- 
ing himself  no  physical  exertion  or  privation 
which  seemed  necessary  for  the  advancement 
of  the  cause.  Although  never  robust, he  must 
have  possessed  a  strong  constitution,  when  we 
consider  his  record  as  a  soldier  and  the  long 
journeys  he  took  on  foot, even  in  the  later  years 
of  life.  His  last  illness  began  June  6,  and  ap- 
pears to  have  been  caused  by  a  general  breaking 
down  of  the  system,  resulting  doubtless  more 
from  long  continued  overwork  and  the  deferred 
hope  which  "maketh  the  heart  sick"  than  from 
an  acute  attack  of  disease.  We  are  told  that 
when  this  sickness  began  he  thought  he  saw 
in  it  a  crisis  which  would  lead  to  recovery. 
From  day  to  day  he  retained  his  repose  and 
cheerfulness  and  was  very  grateful  for  what- 
ever was  done  for  him,  especialty  when  flowers 
were  brought  him.  For  the  particulars  of  this 
last  sickness  and  the  funeral  we  are  indebted 
to  a  pamphlet  written  by  Middendorf  and  pub- 
lished at  Liebenstein  that  same  year.  To  those 
who  stood  by  the  bedside  of  the  dying  man  it 
was  evident  that  "the  highest  peace,  the  most 
cheerful  resignation  were  expressed  not  only  in 
his  words  but  in  his  face.  The  former  anxious 
care  to  be  active  in  his  life-task  resolved  itself 
into  trust  in  Providence  and  his  spirit  looked 
joyfully  in  advance  for  the  fulfillment  of  his 
life's  idea." 

This  is  the  testimony  of  the  physician  who 
attended  Froebel,  as  related  to  the  Baroness  a 
few  weeks  later :  "I  have  seen  many  men  die, 
but  never  anyone  who  looked  into  the  face  of 
death  so  cheerfully  and  so  calmly  as  Froebel. 
One  day  he  asked  me  what  I  thought  of  his  con- 


54 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


dition  and  whether  he  could  live  a  little  longer. 
I  thought  I  ought  to  speak  the  real  truth  and  was 
able  to  do  so  to  him.  I  advised  him  not  to 
postpone  his  last  directions,  since  the  failing 
of  his  powers  left  slight  hope  of  recovery.  He 
took  my  words  with  the  greatest  calmness  and 
I  did  not  notice  the  least  change  in  his  coun- 
tenance, When  I  went  to  him  on  the  follow- 
ing noon  they  told  me  that  he  had  added  some 
directions  to  his  will  that  morning.  At  the 
door  of  his  chamber  I  heard  a  low  singing,  like 
the  chirping  of  the  birds  which  were  singing  out 
of  doors, and  when  I  entered  I  found  Froebel  sit- 
ting up  in  the  bed,  which  was  pushed  up  to  the 
open  window,  looking  with  glorified  joy  on  the 
landscape  before  him  and  singing  softly  to  him- 
self. To  my  remark,  'You  appear  to  be  better 
and  more  cheerful,'  he  replied,  'Why  should  I 
not?  I  enjoy  beautiful  nature  even  in  my  last 
moments.'  I  never  found  him,  on  my  visits, 
impatient,  complaining  or  even  discontented." 

On  the  Sunday  before  his  death  a  favorite 
child  brought  him  flowers  and  he  received  her 
with  great  delight.  With  difficulty  he  reached 
out  his  hand  and  drew  her  hand  to  his  lips. 
In  his  last  hours  he  asked  for  flowers  and  said, 
"Take  care  of  my  flowers  and  spare  my  weeds  ; 
I  have  learned  much  from  them."  He  wanted 
the  windows  open  frequently  and  often  re- 
peated the  words,  "Pure,  vigorous  nature."  To 
Barop  who  had  come  from  Keilhau  to  be  with 
him,  he  said,  "Remain  true  to  God."  And 
then  he  asked  them  to  read  the  letter  written  by 
his  godfather  when  he  was  baptized  and  which 
contained  the  confession  of  Christian  faith. 
During  the  reading  he  often  exclaimed,  "My 
credentials !  My  credentials,  Barop !"  He 
called  it  his  letter  of  credit  for  heaven  aud  re- 
peated again  and  again  the  words  used  in  the 
letter,  "The  Saviour  shall  henceforth  hold  im- 
mediate communion  with  him  in  justice,  grace 
and  mercy."  He  said  that  he  had  labored  to 
make  Christianity  a  reality  and  he  repeated 
many  times  with  great  emphasis  that  he  was 
"A  Christian  man." 

At  midnight,  June  21,  1852,  the  final  moment 
approached.  He  was  in  a  sitting  posture  and 
his  eyes  were  partially  open.  Middendorf  says 
that  his  last  words  were,  "God,  Father,  Son 
and  Holy  Ghost."  His  breathing  continued  to 
grow  shorter  and  "at  half-past  six  in  the  morn- 
ing he  drew  two  long  breaths  and  all  was  still." 
To  those  who  were  standing  about  him  his  de- 


parture seemed  like  the  death  of  a  beloved  child. 
At  the  burial  service  the  bier  was  adorned 
with  flowers  and  a  crown  of  laurel,  made  by 
his  wife  and  pupils,  and  stood  in  the  spot  lately 
occupied  by  his  bed.  After  all  present  had 
gathered  about  the  body  to  look  for  the  last 
time  on  that  beloved  countenance  from  which 
all  trace  of  pain  had  been  effaced  the  casket 
was  carried  through  his  study  and  then  through 
the  sitting-room  and  placed  in  the  wide  vesti- 
bule, to  be  strewn  with  wreaths  and  flowers  by 
maivy  children,  all  of  whom,  even  the  smallest, 
tried  to  show  their  gratitude  for  him  once 
more.  The  mourning  company  included  nu- 
merous friends  from  a  distance,  with  not  a 
a  few  whom  he  had  helped.  The  teachers 
sang  a  funeral  hymn  and  then  the  procession 
started  for  the  churchyard  at  Schweina.  A 
heavy  shower  fell  on  the  way  and  the  people 
were  compelled  to  stand  under  shelter  for  a 
long  time,  which  led  the  clergyman  to  remark, 
"Even  his  last  journey  is  through  storm  and 
tempest."  As  the  funeral  train  moved  on  the 
bells  of  the  village  church  began  to  toll  and  at 
the  cemetery  the  teachers  took  the  bier  on  their 
shoulders,  to  carry  it  to  the  grave. 

Although  the  rain  still  continued  a  large  part 
of  the  community,  young  and  old,  had  gath- 
ered to  honor  him.  The  hymn,  "Jerusalem, 
thou  lofty  city"  was  sung  and  then  Pastor 
Ruckert  began  his  remarks,  just  as  the  rain 
stopped.  When  he  had  finished  the  teachers 
sang,  "Rest  softly"  and  the  casket  was  low- 
ered into  the  grave,  which  had  been  lined  with 
flowers.  Then  Middendorf  made  a  short  ad- 
dress, after  which  a  song  which  he  had  written, 
beginning  "Rise  again, thou  shalt  rise  again," 
was  sung.  As  the  pastor  threw  a  handful  of 
earth  into  the  grave  he  said,  "May  God  grant 
to  each  of  us  such  an  end  as  that  of  this  just 
man."  Then  the  scholars  threw  flowers  upon 
flowers  into  the  grave,  one  of  them  snatching 
the  bouquet  from  her  breast  to  throw  in,  and 
Middendorf  cast  in  the  manuscript  of  his  song. 

Concerning  the  surroundings  of  the  grave, 
Middendorf  wrote  as  follows  :  "The  newly  laid 
out  churchyard,  situated  outside  the  village 
upon  an  eminence,  has  a  singulai-ly  beautiful 
location.  The  town  lies  half-concealed  in  ver- 
dure, at  the  foot  of  the  tower  which  rises  up 
alone,  like  a  finger-post  pointing  to  heaven ; 
the  whole  glorious  country  lies  spread  out  be- 
fore  the  eye  like  a  living  picture.     At  the  left 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


55 


Altenstein,  with  the  summer  dwellings  of  the 
ducal  family  stretches  out  its  high  hand  with 
noble  grace,  showing  by  its  act  that  it  truly  rev- 
erences the  cross  which  is  erected  in  memory  of 
Bonifacius,  the  earliest  promulgator  of  Christi- 
anity here.  Directly  in  front  stands  the  old 
castle  of  Liebenstein  whose  name  has  a  good 
sound  near  and  far  for  its  healing  springs  ;  and 
on  the  right, shaded  with  lofty  poplars  and  sur- 
rounded by  green  meadows  and  waving  fields  of 
grain,  with  the  murmur  of  clear  waters  stream- 
ing from  the  rock  of  Altenstein,  the  quiet,  love- 
ly Marienthal,  the  seat  of  peace,  of  untiring 
work  for  the  worthiness  and  the  unity  of  life, 
consecrated  by  him  who  has  now  come  to  this 
spot  for  undisturbed  peace  and  harmony." 

Thus  died  Friedrich  Froebel.  But  although 
more  than  forty  summers  have  passed  over  his 
grave  at  Schweina  we  cannot  admit  that  Froe- 


bel is  dead,  but  must  rather  remember  that  he 
said  in  the  course  of  his  last  sickness,  "I  am 
not  going  away,  I  shall  hover  around  in  the 
midst  of  you.''  How  true  was  this  prophecy  ! 
Who  of  us  would  care  to  deny  that  his  loving 
spirit  is  with  us  to-day  and  with  the  little  chil- 
dren who  gather  about  us  in  the  kindergarten 
circle  for  the  morning  talk,  or  nestle  in  our 
arms  at  the  home  fireside  when  the  shadows  of 
the  night  rest  upon  us,  and  plead  for  '  'one  more 
story"  before  it  is  time  to  say  the  evening- 
prayer?  Has  there  ever  been  a  time  when  he 
was  more  truly  alive  than  at  the  present  hour  ? 
The  world  is  just  beginning  to  reap  the  first 
fruits  of  his  life  and  labors.  The  fame  which 
belongs  to  him  to-day  is  but  a  faint  rushlight 
compared  with  the  beacon  which  will  shine  out 
in  the  future  when  generations  yet  unborn  shall 
rise  up  and  call  him  blessed. 


1852— 1895— SINCE  FROEBEL'S  DEATH. 


It  seems  fitting  to  close  this  sketch  of  the 
founder  of  the  kindergarten  with  a  brief  review 
of  what  has  been  done  to  advance  his  ideas 
since  the  time  of  his  death.  The  sickness  of 
the  Baroness  and  domestic  matters  kept  her  in 
Berlin  later  than  usual  in  the  summer  of  1852, 
and  the  notice  of  the  loss  of  her  friend  did  not 
reach  her  in  time  for  the  funeral.  She  arrived 
at  Liebenstein  July  2,  and  the  first  question  she 
asked  on  meeting  Middendorf  was,  "What  will 
now  become  of  the  cause?"  His  answer  was, 
"We  will  work  with  all  our  powers  ;  truth  is  not 
lost."  This  watchword  became  their  motto  for 
the  rest  of  their  lives.  The  instruction  of  the 
training  class  continued  at  Marienthal  through 
that  summer,  Middendorf  giving  all  his  time  to 
teaching  the  kindergarten  theory  and  Fran  Froe- 
bel undertaking  the  work  of  teaching  the  occu- 
pations. Of  her  the  Baroness  writes:  "Al- 
though deeply  afflicted  by  the  sad,  irreparable 
loss  of  her  husband  after  only  one  year's  married 
life,  she  fulfilled  the  task,  now  become  so  much 
more  difficult,  with  the  greatest  conscientious- 
ness, firmly  resolved  todevote  her  whole  strength 
to  it  in  order  to  preserve  and  promote  the  work 
already  begun.  At  the  same  time  she  remained 
an  affectionate,  motherly  friend  and  guardian  of 
the  pupils." 

The  season  was  a  quiet  one  for  the  kinder- 
garten community  and  they  mingled  but  little 


with  the  summer  visitors.  The  class  was  con- 
tinued at  Marienthal  through  the  autumn,  but 
early  in  1853  Middendorf  and  Fran  Froebel  re- 
moved their  work  to  Keilhau.  The  former  came 
by  invitation  to  Liebenstein  in  May  to  represent 
the  kindergarten  movement  at  the  general  con- 
vention of  German  teachers  and  the  Baroness 
also  gave  a  demonstration  in  connection  with 
a  similar  gathering  held  at  Gera.  She  went  to 
Keilhau  in  July  to  see  how  the  work  was  pro- 
gressing and  gives  a  glowing  account  in  the 
closing  pages  of  the  "Reminiscences"  of  the 
community  as  it  appeared  at  that  time,  using 
these  words:  "But  now  one  saw,  instead  of 
Froebel's  little  farmhouse  where  he  and  his  pu- 
pils had  to  struggle  at  first  with  the  greatest 
privations,  several  stately  buildings  which  in- 
closed a  large  courtyard,  surrounded  by  the 
steep  mountains  and  beautiful  woods  of  the 
rather  narrow  valley.  There  were  beautiful 
spacious  apartments  and  schoolrooms,  and  a 
large  hall  in  the  main  building.  Exemplary 
order  and  care  for  the  bodily  and  mental  needs 
of  the  pupils  was  evident.  The  watchful  guid- 
ance, the  sharp  practical  oversight  and  the 
somewhat  strict  discipline,  but  at  the  same  time 
loving  care  of  the  director,  Barop,  were  every- 
where apparent." 

The  Baroness  spent  some  weeks  in  the  neigh- 
borhood and  occasionally  took    Middendorf's 


56 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


place  as  instructor  in  the  training  class,  lie- 
cause  lie  showed  increasing  signs  of  failing 
health.  She  returned  to  Berlin  in  the  autumn 
and  soon  received  news  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  from  I  train  troubles,  November  20, 
1853,  without  previous  sickness,  at  the  age  of 
sixty.  The  loss  of  Middendorf  compelled  Fran 
Froebel  to  leave  Keilhau  and  she  accepted  an 
invitation  to  take  charge  of  a  training  class  in 
a  Dresden  school.  This  arrangement  was  but 
temporary,  and  in  1854  she  went  to  Hamburg 
to  accept  the  directorship  of  the  free  public  kin- 
dergarten, and  for  many  years  was  at  the  head 
of  a  training  class  which  has  furnished  Ger- 
many and  other  countries  with  kindergartners. 

In  "Froebel  Letters"  we  have  this  pen  pic- 
ture of  Frau  Froebel,  as  she  appeared  while 
visiting  a  German  kindergarten  in  1871  :  "I 
was  charmed  with  her  striking  appearance. 
Her  figure  was  tall,  erect,  and  remarkably  well- 
proportioned.  Her  carriage  and  movements 
were  elastic  and  graceful.  Her  face  had  an 
expression  of  freshness,  I  would  have  said  of 
youthfulness,  but  for  the  grayish  tint  of  the 
hair,  indicating  her  advanced  age.  and  forming 
a  striking  frame  for  a  countenance  beaming 
with  a  charming  vivacity,  producing  a  convic- 
tion that  her  soul  had  perserved  a  youthfulness 
much  greater  than  her  gray  hair  seemed  to  in- 
dicate for  her  body.  Her  beautiful  blue  eyes 
bespoke  an  unusual  development  of  loving  kind- 
ness. At  her  request  the  games  and  occupa 
tions  and  the  musical  exercises  were  gone 
through  with  in  the  usual  way.  She  went  to 
and  fro,  observing  everything  and  every  now 
and  then  actively  interfering  or  directing  with 
the  hand  and  word  of  a  thorough  master.  She 
was  greatly  pleased  with  the  questions  and  re- 
marks, and  her  winning  ways  proved  as  power- 
ful an  attraction  for  the  little  folks  as  for  the 
grown  up  people." 

In  writing  about  Frau  Froebel  at  a  later 
period  one  of  her  pupils  says  :  "It  was  indeed 
a  pleasure  to  see  her  walking  through  her  kin- 
dergarten department  in  the  morning.  This 
stately,  erect  figure,  this  noble  bearing,  this 
kind  smile  on  her  lips,  all  these  qualities  com- 
bined inspired  us  who  were  her  students  with 
the  greatest  respect  and  devotion  for  her. 
She  reproached  and  blamed  us  very  little ;  in 
fact. she  was  very  silent  and  thoughtful,  but  she 
observed  everything,  and  the  expression  of  her 
face  was  enough  to  both  teach  and  direct  us. 


I  remember  that  one  morniug  I  had  a  little 
talk  with  her  about  her  kindergarten,  and  when 
I  told  her  how  charmed  I  was  to  see  her  still 
in  her  old  age  so  loving  and  child-like,  her  own 
words  to  me  were  :  'I  am  old,  but  my  heart  will 
ever  remain  young.'  She  was  particularly  fond 
of  teaching  us  the  'Mother  and  Cossett  Songs,' 
in  her  training  class,  and  liked  to  mention  many 
happy  hours  which  she  had  spent  with  Froebel. 

When  she  resigned  from  her  work  no  other 
town  but  Hamburg  offered  her  a  home  to  rest, 
and  she  has  always  been  loyal  to  that  city.  In 
summer  it  has  been  her  habit  to  travel  to  those 
places  in  Thuringen,  where  she  spent  so  many 
delightful  months  in  eager  work  with  Froebel 
for  the  welfare  of  the  young." 

In  the  later  years  of  her  life  Frau  Froebel 
enjoys  a  serene  old  age,  receiving  an  allowance 
large  enough  to  satisfy  all  her  legitimate  de- 
sires, with  something  left  to  give  to  the  numer- 
ous charities  and  needy  kindergarten  institutes 
with  which  her  active  life  of  benevolence  has 
brought  her  in  contact.  In  writing  about  her 
in  September.  1895,  A.  II.  Heinmann,  editor 
of  "Froebel  Letters"  says  : — 

"I  could  select  hundreds  from  the  pile  of 
letters  written  by  Frau  Froebel  to  her  friend  at 
Chicago,  all  of  which  prove  that  her  mind  is  as 
sound  and  clear  as  it  ever  was.  At  her  age, 
eighty  years  and  five  months,  her  strength  is 
failing,  which  is  perfectly  natural.  Her  letters 
prove  that  she  is  still  the  same  clear-headed 
and  public  spirited  disciple  of  Friedrich  Froe- 
bel that  she  was  when  her  husband  died  forty- 
three  years  ago." 

The  Baroness  lived  to  be  nearly  eighty  and 
died  at  Dresden,  January  9,  1893.  She  was 
born  at  Burnswick,  March  15,  1816,  her  father 
being  president  of  the  ducal  chamber  in  the 
duchy  of  Burnswick  and  her  mother  the  Count- 
ess von  Wartenslehen,  of  the  Mark  of  Bran- 
denburg. She  was  married  while  yet  in  her 
teens  to  Baron  Von  Marenholtz,  a  member  of 
the  privy  council  and  later  court  marshal  of 
Hanover.  She  had  one  son  and  during  the 
twenty  years  of  his  life  she  devoted  herself  to 
his  education  and  the  care  of  the  children  of  her 
husband  by  a  former  marriage.  Possessed  of 
excellent  advantages  in  her  youth,  she  was  al- 
ways a  student  of  the  best  methods  of  educa- 
tion, and  at  the  time  of  her  first  meeting  with 
Froebel  her  mind  was  well  prepared  for  the  re- 
ception and  adoption  of  the  kindergarten  gos- 


TOMBSTONE    AT    SCH.WEIKA. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


57 


pel.  As  we  have  already  seen,  she  began  at 
once  to  proclaim  that  gospel  from  the  public 
platform  and  by  using  her  pen  and  the  printing 
press,  while  Froebel  yet  lived. 

In  185-4  she  went  to  England  to  establish 
the  kindergarten  system  there  and  published  a 
pamphlet  on  ''Infant  Gardens,"  in  English.  A 
little  later  we  hear  of  her  performing  a  similar 
service  in  France,  for  in  1857  A.  Guyard,  a 
French  author,  wrote  her  from  Paris  as  follows  : 
'  'The  more  I  listen  to  you  in  regard  to  Froebel's 
method,  the  more  my  interest  increases,  and 
the  deeper  grows  my  conviction  that  by  this 
means  a  basis  is  laid  for  a  new  way  to  educate 
humanity.  He  is  great,  perhaps  the  greatest 
philosopher  of  our  time,  and  has  found  in  you 
what  all  philosophers  need,  that  is,  a  woman  who 
understands  him,  who  clothes  him  with  flesh 
and  blood  and  makes  him  alive."  In  1858  the 
Baroness  was  urged  by  Abbe  Miraud,  a  learned 
Italian  author,  to  travel  through  Italy  for  the 
advancement  of  kindergarten  education  and  in 
1871  the  minister  of  public  instruction  invited 
her  to  come  to  Florence  to  found  a  school  for 
the  instruction  of  teachers. 

Notwithstanding  her  work  in  foreign  lands, 
the  service  which  the  Baroness  rendered  the 
world  was  mostly  performed  in  her  native  Ger- 
many. In  1861  she  was  instrumental  in  start- 
ing a  journal  called  "The  Education  of  the  Fu- 
ture," edited  by  Dr.  Carl  Schmidt,  in  which 
she  published  the  essays  on  "The  Child  and 
Child  Nature"  which  have  since  been  revised 
and  issued  in  a  book  by  that  name.  The  trans- 
lation of  her  "Reminiscences  of  Friedrich  Froe- 
bel" by  Mrs.  Horace  Mann  first  appeared  in 
this  country  in  1877.  An  American  kinder- 
gartner  who  visited  the  Baroness  in  1869  says 
that  on  a  certain  occasion  when  the  represen- 
tative educators  of  several  nationalities  were 
dining  together  she  conversed  with  each  and 
all  of  them  with  equal  ease  and  freedom  in  their 
own  language.  The  account  adds  :  "Her  man- 
ners were  unaffected,  simple  yet  gracious,  and 
her  thoughtful  attention  toward  her  guests  won 
their  personal  admiration,  while  her  animation 
and  earnestness  ar'oused  the  interest  of  all. 
Wherever  the  world  will  hear  of  Friedrich  Fra1- 
bel's  discovery  of  the  kindergarten  philosophy, 
the  name  of  Bertha  Von  Marenholtz-Bulow  will 
arouse  an  equal  amount  of  love  and  reverence 
in  the  hearts  of  those  who  love  humanity  and 
to  whom  the  well  beino-  of  childhood  is  dear. 


Her  quick  intuitive  interpretation  of  the  hidden 
meaning  of  his  words  made  her  work  and  in- 
structions of  the  greatest  value  to  the  world." 

Another  American  kindergartner  who  visited 
the  Baroness  ten  years  later,  in  1<S7'.»,  writes  : 
"The  value  of  her  work  for  the  kindergarten 
can  never  be  estimated  ;  her  heart  and  her  house 
were  always  open  to  those  who  were  in  search 
for  more  knowledge  in  regard  to  Froebel  and 
the  kindergarten.  Intellectually  she  seemed  to 
grasp  the  length  and  breadth  of  his  science  of 
development,  and  she  was  devoted  to  the  idea 
that  to  her  was  the  highest.  She  cherished 
many  things  that  Froebel  had  made  with  his 
knife  while  developing  his  gifts.  The  tablets 
of  the  Seventh  (rift  were  his  latest  work  and 
much  experimented  upon ;  and  these  experi- 
mented tablets  she  kept  and  showed  with  deep 
interest.  Intellectually  we  can  hardly  realize 
how  we  could  have  had  the  kindergarten  as  at 
present,  without  the  very  help  which  the  Baron- 
ess Marenholtz-Bulow  gave,  and  the  value  of 
her  work  will  be  more  appreciated  as  the  years 
go  on." 

The  one  connecting  link  between  the  present 
and  the  past,  so  far  as  active  service  in  the  Ger- 
man kindergarten  field  is  concerned,  is  Frau 
Henrietta  Schrader,  who  is  still  at  the  head  of 
the  Pestalozzi-Froebel  house  in  Berlin.  She  is 
a  grand-niece  of  Froebel,  studied  with  him  and 
helped  him  carry  on  his  work  in  Dresden  and 
other  places.  She  also  was  associated  with  the 
Baroness  in  Berlin  and  has  been  identified  with 
the  cause  in  that  city  for  more  than  a  genera- 
tion. She  married  a  railroad  magnate,  a  man 
of  high  social  and  educational  standing,  and 
they  are  still  leaders  in  society,  in  spite  of  their 
advanced  age.  Frau  Schrader  has  in  her  pos- 
session many  manuscript  papers  of  Froebel, 
which  have  never  yet  been  published,  a  part  of 
them  having  been  given  her  by  Frau  Froebel. 
Some  of  them  are  illustrated  with  pencil 
sketches.  She  speaks  and  writes  English  with 
ease. 

Regarding  the  German  kindergartens  of  the 
present  day  about  all  that  needs  to  be  said  here 
is  that  they  are  found  in  all  the  large  cities,  with 
occasionally  one  in  the  smaller  places.  The 
leaders  there  say  that  they  are  still  hampered 
in  their  work  by  the  government  regulations  and 
for  that  reason  the  hope  for  the  best  develop- 
ment of  the  kindergarten  rests  with  this  country, 
just  as  it  did  in  Froebel's  mind.      An  American 


58 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


training  teacher  sums  up  the  differences  be- 
tween the  two  countries  as  follows,  in  a  recently 
published  article  : — 

"And  now  I  anticipate  the  question  gener- 
ally asked,  how  does  the  work  in  Germany  com- 
pare with  the  American  work?  It  seems  tome 
the  two  can  hardly  be  compared,  because  of  the 
difference  in  environments  and  aim.  In  the 
work  with  the  children  we  have  much  to  learn 
from  each  other.  If  we  could  give  them  a  lit- 
tle of  the  sunshine  which  emanates  from  light 
walls  with  their  pictures,  from  the  snowy  white 
apron,  which  is  so  prominent  a  feature  in  the 
American  kindergarten,  if  we  could  enclose  them 
with  the  lightness  of  our  singing,  the  grace  and 
alertness  of  our  motions,  the  real  play-spirit  of 
our  games,  if  we  could  give  them  some  of  the 
sentiment,  (of  which  we  could  spare  a  goodly 
amount,)  and  have  breathed  upon  us  in  return 
their  whole-souled  interest,  their  practical  com- 
mon sense,  their  devotion  in  meeting  all  the 
needs  of  the  child,  we  should  both  come  nearer 
the  ideal. 

There  is  still  less  ground  for  comparison 
when  we  consider  the  training  classes.  Our 
requirements  for  admission  to  the  training  class 
are  much  greater  than  theirs,  our  standard 
higher.  Many  of  the  girls  received  there  with- 
out detriment  to  the  class  as  a  whole,  would  be 
a  most  dangerous  element  in  an  American  train- 
ing class,  because  of  that  sense  of  'free  and  equal' 
in  our  atmosphere  which  would  lead  them  to 
expect  positions  for  which  they  were  unfitted. 

Here  special  classes  with  special  aims  are 
needed  and  I  hope  the  day  is  not  far  distant 
when  our  college  and  kindergarten  settlements 
may  open  their  doors  to  these  girls  of  fifteen 
or  sixteen  years  whose  advantages  have  been 
few,  and  give  them  a  special  training  which 
shall  tit  them  to  go  out  as  children's  nurses, 
in  place  of  the  ignorant  women  so  generally  em- 
ployed to-day,  who  are  not  only  ignorant  of 
every  law  of  child  nature,  of  any  ueed  beyond 
tbose  of  food  and  clothing,  but  also  of  the  Eng- 
lish language." 

Considerable  has  been  done  by  his  fellow 
countrymen  to  honor  the  memory  of  Froebel. 
On  the  hundreth  anniversary  of  his  birth,  April 
21,  1882,  the  monument  which  stands  over  the 
grave  at  Schweina  was  dedicated.  It  is  a  modi- 
fication of  the  design  originally  suggested  by 
Middendorf  of  the  cube,  cylinder  and  sphere, 
with  ornamental  additions  and  a  medallion  of 


Froebel.  On  it  is  inscribed  the  motto,  "Come 
let  us  live  with  our  children,"  with  the  dates 
of  the  birth  and  death  and  the  statement  that 
this  monument  has  been  erected  as  an  expres- 
sion of  thankfulness  for  the  great  friend  of 
childhood  and  mankind.  It  is  surrounded  by  an 
iron  fence,  and  mounted  on  a  substantial  stone 
base.  There  is  also  another  monument  in  the 
grove  near  Marienthal,  which  follows  Midden- 
dorf's  design  more  strictly  and  bears  the  same 
motto  and  dates,  and  a  third  one  at  Blaken- 
burg,  placed  there  by  contributors  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  world. 

Aside  from  the  institute  atKeilhau,  presided 
over  by  the  younger  Barop,  the  most  elaborate 
memorial  of  Froebel's  life  and  work  is  the  tower 
located  on  the  hill  at  Oberweisbach,  overlook- 
ing the  birthhouse,  on  the  spot  where  it  is  said 
he  was  wont  to  linger  to  watch  the  setting  of 
the  sun.  It  is  of  limestone,  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  high,  and  was  built  in  1889  by 
the  Thuringia  Verein,  at  a  cost  of  thirty  thou- 
sand marks  or  about  seven  thousand  dollars. 
There  are  tablets  on  the  house  at  Oberweisbach 
and  at  Blankenburg  and  there  is  a  kindergarten 
maintained  in  a  building  attached  to  the  par- 
sonage property  at  the  former  place.  The  house 
is  still  occupied  by  the  village  pastor,  as  it  was 
in  Frcebel's  day.  He  is  president  of  the  local 
society,  and  in  a  letter  written  to  an  American 
counsul  living  in  that  vicinity,  a  few  months 
since,  he  says  :  "We  would  be  grateful  if  you 
would  kindly  tell  your  trans- Atlantic  constitu- 
ents that  now, here  in  Oberweisbach,  the  room 
where  Froebel  was  born  is  identified  and  is 
willingly  shown  at  any  time,  together  with  sun- 
dry Froebel  relics."  And  yet  travelers  who 
have  gone  ever  that  whole  section  on  foot  tell 
us  that  there  are  not  a  few  people,  living  within 
ten  miles  of  th?t  village  who  have  never  heard 
of  Friedr'cb  Froebel. 

The  prescribed  limits  of  this  book  will  not 
allow  us  to  devote  much  space  to  recounting 
the  progress  of  the  kindergarten  in  European 
countries  outside  of  Germany.  We  are  told 
that  the  kindergarten  system  was  introduced 
into  England  in  1854  by  Miss  Praetorius, 
who  opened  a  kindergarten  at  Fitzroy  Square, 
London,  and  that  about  the  same  time  Madam 
Ronge  began  her  work  at  Manchester,  which 
subsequently  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the 
Manchester  Kindergarten  Association.  That 
same  yeaiv  as  has  been  previously  mentioned. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


50 


the  Baroness  made  a  lecturing  tour  to  England 
in  behalf  of  the  cause.  Five  years  later  Frau- 
lein  Eleanor  Herrwart,  a  pupil  of  Frau  Froebel 
and  Middendorf,  and  the  Baroness  Adele  Von 
Partugall,  pupil  of  Baroness  B.Von  Marenholtz- 
Bulow  and  Frau  Schrader,  both  came  to  Man- 
chester and  were  given  positions  in  different 
kindergartens.  In  1866  Fraulein  Herrwart  went 
to  Dublin  to  found  a  kindergarten  of  her  own. 
In  1874  Emilie  Michaelis  went  to  England  to 
promote  the  kindergarten,  lecturing  before  the 
schoolboard  teachers  at  Croydon.  The  follow- 
ing year  she  founded  the  Croydon  kindergar- 
ten. It  was  in  1875  that  the  Froebel  Society  of 
London  was  organized,  Miss  Dorech  being  the 
first  president,  with  which  many  prominent 
English  kindergartners  have  been  connected. 

In  1879  the  London  society  founded  the 
London  Kindergarten  Training  College,  which 
was  ma:ntained  till  1883.  In  1880  Frau  Mich- 
aelis became  head  mistress  of  the  work  under- 
taken by  the  Croyden  Kindergarten  Company, 
and  a  similar  organization  was  formed  at  Bed- 
ford in  1883,  with  Miss  Sims  as  chief  kinder- 
gartner.  That  same  year  Fraulein  Herrwart 
went  to  Blankenburg  to  open  a  memorial  kin- 
dergarten, with  funds  raised  for  that  purpose 
in  London.  In  18<S4  an  education  conference 
was  held  in  connection  with  the  Industrial  Ex- 
hibition at  South  Kensington,  the  section  de- 
voted to  Infant  Education  being  largely  taken 
up  with  discussions  regarding  Froebel's  prin- 
ciples, representatives  from  other  nations  join- 
ing in  the  debate.  At  this  time  the  British 
and  Foreign  Society  organized  a  complete  ex- 
hibition of  work  and  material,  all  the  leading 
kindergartners  in  London  being  contributors. 
In  this  connection  most  of  them  gave  lessons 
to  classes  of  children  to  show  the  practical  ap- 
plication of  the    kindergarten  methods. 

In  these  latter  days  the  cause  has  advanced 
in  England,  and  there  are  some  kindergartens 
supported  at  the  public  expense.  Fraulein  Herr- 
wart, although  her  home  is  at  Eisenach,  Ger- 
many, has  direction  of  all  the  examinations  in 
the  public  kindergartens,  visiting  England  for 
two  summer  months  of  each  year  for  that  pur- 
pose. Frau  Michaelis  is  principal  of  the  new 
Froebel  Educational  Institute  at  West  Kensing- 
ton. The  English  kindergarten  periodical,  a 
monthly  magazine,  is  called  "Hand  and  Eye," 
being  edited  by  G.  Brocklehurst,  and  is  pub- 
lished in  London  by  O.  Newman  &  Co. 


At  a  meeting  held  in  Loudon,  June  5,  1895,. 
M.  II.  C.  Bowen.  author  of  a  book  entitled 
"Froebel  and  Education  Through  Self-activi- 
ty" made  an  address  in  which  he  said  that  the 
people  who  are  interested  in  the  kindergarten 
have  been  working  many  years  to  get  Frcebe- 
lian  methods  rightly  understood,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, adopted  in  England.  He  closed  his  re- 
marks as  follows  : — 

"We  are  to  have  a  Training  College,  which 
we  hope  will  be  of  value  not  only  to  those  who 
mean  to  be  professional  teachers,  but  also  to 
those  who  need  to  know  more  about  children 
than  they  do — I  mean  parents — to  whom  the 
Institute  will  be  useful  both  directly  and  in- 
directly. We  hope  that  it  will  give  an  oppor- 
tunity to  those  who  have  the  charge  of  little 
children  to  learn  how  to  develop  and  train  their 
powers.  There  is  nothing  so  pathetic,  I  think, 
as  a  young  mother,  who  because  she  loves  her 
child  very  dearly. thinks  that  this  love  alone  will 
suffice  as  a  guide  to  action.  Something  more 
is  wanted,  some  knowleflge,  some  little  expe- 
rience ;  and  that,  we  hope,  may  be  gained  in  our 
Training  College.  Those  who  go  there  will 
not  necessarily  be  those  who  intend  to  become 
teachers,  but  those  who  have  to  do  with  chil- 
dren in  any  way  whatever.  In  fact,  we  desire 
to  help  the  public  as  a  whole  ;  and  we  think 
one  of  the  best  ways  of  doing  so  is  to  show 
them  how  best  to  deal  with  little  children." 

A  conference  of  the  Froebel  Society  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  was  held  at  the  College 
of  Perceptors,  Bloomsburg  Square,  London. 
September  12,  1895,  when  Frau  Michaelis 
read  a  paper  on  "The  Kindergarten  Occupa- 
tions in  Their  Relation  to  Manual  Work." 

Passing  beyond  Germany  and  England  we 
find  the  kindergarten  in  almost  every  quarter. 
Speaking  of  the  spread  of  the  kindergarten 
movement  throughout  the  world,  a  writer  in 
the  "Pratt  Institute  Monthly"  for  November, 
1895,  says : — 

"If  Froebel  were  to  come  back  to  us  to-day 
he  would  be  astonished  to  see  the  growth  of 
the  idea  that  found  birth  in  the  little  cottage 
at  Blankenburg  in  the  Thuringian  Forest  in 
Germany.  That  little  spark  of  divine  fire  has 
spread  over  all  the  world,  and  to-day  the  word 
kindergarten  is  familiar  in  almost  every  coun- 
try in  the  world.  When  not  recognized  by 
the  government  of  a  country  kindergartens 
have  often  been  introduced  through  Christian 


60 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


missions.  Missionaries  find  the  kindergarten 
most  helpful  in  reaching  the  children  and 
through  them  the  homes  of  those  whom  they 
wish  to  benefit.  In  a  letter  from  China  we  are 
told  that  Froebel's  method  must  be  valuable,  as 
it  is  so  entirely  the  opposite  of  the  artificial 
methods  of  the  Chinese.  In  Japan,  in  India, 
iu  the  Sandwich  Islands,  in  Austria,  in  Tur- 
key, in  Russia,  France,  Switzerland,  Norway 
and  Sweden,  has  the  kindergarten  found  a 
home.  In  Italy,  England  and  Belgium  it  is 
recognized  by  the  government,  and  in  the  lat- 
ter country  is  a  part  of  the  school   system."' 

Coming  now  to  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
kindergarten  in  America  we  must  confine  our- 
selves to  narrow  limits,  although  there  is  much 
that  it  would  be  a  pleasant  task  to  write.  "If 
without  the  Baroness  Marenholtz-Bulow,  Froe- 
bel  lacked  a  clear  interpreter  in  Europe,  cer- 
tainly without  Miss  Peabody  and  her  sister, 
Mrs.  Horace  Mann,  the  kindergarten  cause  in 
America  ^\ould  not  stand  where  it  does  to-day." 
This  is  the  verdict  of  one  of  the  leading  kin- 
dergartners  in  this  country  who  is  thoroughly 
conversant  with  Miss  Peabody's  work.  Eliza- 
beth Palmer  Peabody  was  born  at  Billerica, 
Mass.,  May  16,  1804.  Her  sister  Sophia 
married  Nathaniel  Hawthorne  and  her  sister 
Mary  became  the  wife  of  Horace  Mann.  Miss 
Peabody  was  a  teacher,  a  lecturer,  and  an 
author,  devoting  her  life  to  educational  and 
philanthropic  matters.  Her  attention  was  first 
directed  to  the  kindergarten  in  1859,  because 
of  the  peculiar  brightness  of  a  little  boy  of  her 
acquaintance,  the  son  of  Carl  Schurz,  whose 
family  were  then  living  at  Roxbury,  Mass., 
and  who,  she  was  told,  had  been  taught  in  a 
( ierman  kindergarten.  Miss  Peabody  began  at 
once  to  study  the  writings  of  Froebel  and  in 
1860  she  opened  a  kindergarten  at  No.  15 
Pinekney  street,  Boston,  in  company  with  Miss 
Margaret  I).  Corlees. 

This  experiment  was  carried  on  for  several 
years,  but  was  finally  given  up  by  Miss  Pea- 
body, for  reasons  which  were  afterwards  ex- 
plained by  herself  as  follows  : — 

"I  felt  that  my  kindergarten  was  not  the  right 
thing,  for,  although  very  popular,  I  found  that 
it  failed  to  produce  the  results  promised  by 
Froebel,  which  I  had  seen  exemplified  in  the 
little  Schurz  child,  and  so,  after  a  time,  I  gave 
it  uu  to  my  partner,  telling  her  to  go  on  with  it 
till  I  could  go  over  to  Europe  and  find  out  about 


it.  This  I  did  in  1867,  taking  eleven  hundred 
dollars  in  gold  which  I  had  made  by  giving 
my  course  of  lectures  on  the  philosophy  of  his- 
tory. I  stayed  a  year  and  three  months,  saw 
the  real  kindergarten,  and  came  back  to  devote 
myself  to  its  introduction  into  America." 

Returning  to  this  country  Miss  Peabody  re- 
solved to  leave  the  practical  work  of  estab- 
lishing kindergartens  to  others  and  devote  her 
time  to  lecturing  and  writing  on  the  subject, 
in  the  hope  of  creating  a  general  public  senti- 
ment in  America  favorable  to  the  kindergarten. 
A\  nile  she  was  absent  in  Europe  Madame  31  a- 
tildaH.  Kriege,  and  her  daughter,  AlmaKriege, 
undertook  to  carry  on  the  kindergarten  depart- 
ment of  a  German  school  in  New  York,  but 
after  a  few  months  they  were  persuaded  by 
Mrs.  Mann,  the  sister  of  Miss  Peabody,  to 
remove  their  work  to  Boston.  So  it  happened 
in  September,  1868,  that  the  kindergarten 
which  Miss  Peabody  and  Miss  Corlees  had 
maintained  for  some  years  was  transferred  to 
Madame  Kriege  and  her  daughter,  a  new  lo- 
cation being  secured  on  Charles  Street  and  a 
training  school  opened  in  connection  with   it. 

Both  teachers  had  received  their  training 
from  the  Baroness  in  Berlin  and  the  elder  one 
was  a  pergonal  friend  of  Froebel.  Both  of  them 
had  lived  for  some  years  in  this  country  be- 
fore taking  their  training  and  were  therefore 
thoroughly  familiar  with  English.  Madame 
Kriege  brought  with  her  from  Germany  kinder- 
garten material  and  also  a  hand  machine  for 
cutting  the  weaving  mats.  While  in  New 
York  she  induced  Mr.  E.  Steiger  to  begin  im- 
porting material,  and  on  reaching  Boston  she 
sold  the  machine  to  Mr.  J.  L.  Hammett,  a 
dealer  in  school  supplies,  and  led  him  to  begin 
manufacturing  the  building  gifts  in  a  limited 
way.  Thus  it  was  that  the  kindergarten  gained 
a  foothold  in  New  England,  for  although  the 
first  normal  class  taught  by  the  Krieges  gradu- 
ated but  two  women,  the  seed  was  sown  for  an 
abundant  harvest  in  the  future. 

When  Miss  Peabody  started  out  to  conquer 
the  country  for  the  kindergarten  she  made 
Springfield,  Mass.,  one  of  her  first  stopping- 
places,  giving  an  evening  lecture  on  the  new 
education  in  the  hall  of  the  Elm  Street  School 
building.  Mr.  Milton  Bradley  was  present  on 
that  occasion,  and  having  heard  Miss  Peabody's 
presentation  of  the  case,  was  subsequentlv, 
persuaded  by  Mr.  Edward  Wiebe  to  publish 


PALADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


61 


"  The  Paradise  of  Childhood,"  which  first  ap- 
peared in  1869,  and  begin  in  his  factory  the 
making  of  kindergarten  material  on  a  larger 
scale  than  Mr.  Hammett  had  found  possible 
as  a  merchant. 

At  this  point  in  the  narrative  mention  should 
be  made  of  Dr.  Henry  Barnard,  for  many 
years  secretary  of  the  Connecticut  Board  of 
Education  and  editor  of  "The  Connecticut  Com- 
mon School"  and  "The  American  Journal  of 
Education."  In  1854  the  General  Assembly  of 
Connecticut  sent  him  to  the  International  Edu- 
cational Exposition  and  Congress,  held  at  St. 
Martin's  Hall,  London,  at  which  he  was  the 
sole  representative  from  this  country.  He  was 
then  so  impressed  with  Mr.  Hoffman's  exhibit 
of  the  apparatus  devised  by  Froebel  and  the 
kindergarten  conducted  by  Madame  Ronge 
that  he  commended  both  in  his  official  report 
to  the  governor  of  Connecticut  and  also  wrote 
an  article  on  "Froebel' s  System  of  Infant 
Gardens"  for  "The  American  Journal  of  Edu- 
cation" of  July,  1 856,  which  it  is  said  contained 
the  first  mention  of  the  kindergarten  that  ever 
appeared  in  an  American  periodical.  From 
that  time  for  a  series  of  years  Dr.  Barnard 
continued  to  explain  and  agitate  the  kinder- 
garten system,  and  in  1868  and  1870,  as  na- 
tional commissioner  of  education,  he  recom- 
mended to  Congress  that  in  establishing  a 
system  of  public  schools  for  the  District  of 
Columbia  the  kindergarten  should  be  given  an 
important  place.  As  soon  as  Miss  Peabody 
took  up  the  cause  Dr.  Barnard  became  a  co- 
laborer  with  her,  and  lias  never  ceased  to  do 
what  he  could  for  its  advancement.  In  1881 
he  published  "Kindergarten  and  Child  Culture 
Papers"  in  a  book  of  eight  hundred  pages. 
and  at  the  present  time,  1895,  he  is  still  living 
in  serene  old  age  at  Hartford,  Conn. 

In  1870  Miss  Peabody  succeeded  in  getting 
the  city  of  Boston  to  establish  a  public  kinder- 
garten, which  was  maintained  for  seven  years 
with  growing  interest,  and  then  given  up  be- 
cause the  committee  felt  that  it  would  cost  too 
much  to  meet  the  demand  which  had  sprung 
up  for  kindergartens  in  other  parts  of  the  city, 
and  that  to  continue  supporting  a  single  one 
would  be  unfair.  Meanwhile,  in  1872,  Madam 
Kriege  and  her  daughter  had  gone  back  to 
Germany,  although  they  afterwards  returned 
to  New  York  and  had  a  kindergarten  in  con- 
nection with  a  private  school,  ultimately  set- 


tling once  more  in  the  land  of  Froebel,  where 
they  still  reside.  Madame  Kriege  made  a  free 
rendering  of  "  The  Child,  Its  Nature  and  Re- 
lations," by  the  Baroness,  and  Miss  Kriege 
compiled  "Rhymes  and  Tales  for  the  Kinder- 
garten and  the  Nursery,"  both  being  valuable 
additions  to  the  very  limited  kindergarten  lit- 
erature of  that  day  to  be  found  in  this  country. 
Miss  Mary  J.  Garland  was  one  of  the  ear- 
liest graduates  from  the  Kriege  school  and  she 
became  the  pioneer  American  training  teacher 
for  Boston  and  New  England,  being  for  many 
years  associated  with  Miss  Rebecca  J.  Wes- 
ton, who  died  in  1895. 

In  1877  Mrs.  Quincy  A.  Shaw  opened  a  sum- 
mer kindergarten  at  Brookline  and  another  at 
Jamaica  Plain  at  her  own  cost,  continuing  them 
through  the  year.  Others  were  soon  added, 
Miss  L.  B.  Pingree  was  made  director,  and  in 
1883  Mrs.  Shaw  supported  thirty-one  kinder- 
gartens in  Boston  and  vicinity.  Afterwards 
the  number  was  reduced  to  fourteen  and  in 
1892  the  city  assumed  the  whole  responsibility 
of  the  work,  till  then  so  liberally  sustained  by 
Mrs.  Shaw.  During  the  later  3Tears  of  her  life 
Miss  Peabody  was  obliged  to  withdraw  from 
active  service  because  of  failing  health, and  she 
died   at  Jamaica  Plain,  January  8,  1894. 

Before  leaving  the  New  England  record  it 
is  well  to  note  that  Mrs.  Louise  Pollock,  who 
lived  at  "Weston,  Mass.,  became  interested  in 
the  kindergarten  as  early  as  1861,  through  her 
mother  in  Berlin,  who  sent  her  whatever  had 
been  published  in  Germany  on  that  subject, 
and  begun  to  write  about  it  in  the  newspapers. 
In  1862  she  carried  on  a  kindergarten  at  West 
Newton,  in  connection  with  the  Classical  In- 
stitute of  which  Mr.  N.  T.  Allen  was  princi- 
pal. In  1873  her  daughter,  SusanP.  Pollock, 
who  had  meanwhile  taken  the  training  in  Ber- 
lin, was  appointed  to  teach  a  public  kinder- 
garten at  Brighton.  Shortly  after  that  mother 
and  daughter  removed  to  Washington,  D. 
C,  the  former  having  previously  spent  some 
months  of  study  in  Germany. 

As  has  already  been  indicated, the  movement 
in  New  York  began  among  the  Germans.  It 
was  in  1872  that  Miss  Maria  Boelte  opened 
the  first  English  kindergarten  in  that  city,  and 
the  next  year,  in  connection  with  Prof.  John 
Kraus,  whom  she  married,  began  a  training 
school,  which  has  been  continued  until  now. 
They  have  also    published  an  elaborate  work 


62 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


called  "The  Kindergarten  Guide."  In  1878 
Prof.  Felix  Adler  and  Rev.  Dr.  Heber 
Newton  undertook  to  bring  the  children  of 
the  working  people  under  the  kindergarten  in- 
fluence.  Prof.  Adler  established  a  free  kin- 
dergarten in  January,  which  became  the  founda- 
tion for  a  full  course  up  to  fourteen  years,  the 
principles  of  the  kindergarten  being  preserved 
throughout  all  the  grades.  In  March  Dr.  New- 
ton opened  the  first  mission  kindergarten, 
which  was  connected  with  his  church  on  Madi- 
son avenue,  and  has  since  been  a  model  for 
similar  church  work  all  over  the  country. 

About  this  time  the  city  started  a  public  kin- 
dergarten at  the  Normal  College,  which  soon 
developed  into  a  training  department,  and  the 
Hebrew  Free  School  Association  also  took  up 
the  work.  Some  years  later  the  Teachers 
College  was  established,  and  this  institution 
from  the  outset  made  the  kindergarten  the 
basis  ot  its  work  and  in  1890  was  influential 
in  forming  the  New  York  Kindergarten  Asso- 
ciation, which  maintains  several  free  kinder- 
gartens. The  Children's  Aid  Society  has  a 
kindergarten  attached  to  each  of  its  schools 
and  there  are  a  few  supported  by  the  school 
board.  The  names  of  Miss  Angeline  Brooks  and 
Miss  Caroline  T.  Haven  are  always  promi- 
nently mentioned  in  connection  with  the  New 
York  work,  the  former  having  been  for  a  long 
time  connected  with  the  Teachers  College  and 
the  latter  with  the  Workingman's  School.  The 
same  can  be  said  of  Miss  Alice  E.  Fitts,  and 
Miss  Hannah  D.  Mowry  in  reference  to  Brook- 
lyn, because  their  influence  in  behalf  of  the 
kindergarten  in  Pratt  Institute  and  through 
the  city  has  been  potent  for  years. 

The  city  of  St.  Louis  was  early  in  the  field 
in  behalf  of  the  kindergarten.  About  1873 
Miss  Susan  E.  Blow  petitioned  the  school 
board  for  a  room  in  which  to  make  the  first 
local  experiment,  and  she  very  soon  opened  a 
training  school,  giving  her  services  without 
salary,  which  was  continued  for  twelve  years. 
Such  beginnings  stimulated  the  growth  of  pub- 
lie  kindergartens,  which  was  judiciously  fos- 
tered by  Dr.  William  T.  Harris,  who  was  then 
superintendent  of  city  schools.  Aside  from 
the  public  kindergartens  there  have  been  for  a 
long  time  a  number  connected  with  private 
schools  and  some  that  are  free  to  children 
below  the  school  age,  the  latter  being  sup- 
ported by  charitable  organizations. 


The  Chicago  Froebel  Association  grew  out 
of  a  small  mother's  class  that  was  formed  in 
1873,  and  some  months  later  Mrs.  John  Ogden 
came  there  from  Columbus,  O.,  spending  a 
year  in  the  city  conducting  a  kindergarten  and 
training  class.  Mrs.  Alice  H.  Putnam,  Miss 
Sara  Eddy  and  Miss  Josephine  Jarvis  took  up 
the  work  where  she  left  it.  The  first  free  kinder- 
garten was  opened  at  the  Moody  Chapel,  on 
Chicago  avenue,  by  Mrs.  E.  W.  Blatchford. 
In  1891  the  school  board  voted  to  adopt  all 
the  kindergartens  of  the  association  which 
were  located  in  the  public  school  buildings  as 
a  part  of  the  regular  school  system. 

A  distinctive  feature  of  the  Chicago  work  for 
a  long  time  has  been  along  the  lines  of  the  col- 
lege settlement  idea,  a  beginning  having  been 
made  at  Hull  House,  which  was  opened  by  two 
young  women  who  knew  about  the  Toynbee 
Hall  enterprise  in  London  and  who  felt  "•that 
the  mere  foothold  of  a  house  easily  accessible, 
ample  in  space,  hospitable  and  tolerant  in 
spirit,  situated  in  the  midst  of  the  large  foreign 
colonies  which  so  easily  isolate  themselves  in 
the  large  American  cities,  would  in  itself  be  a 
serviceable  thing  for  the  community." 

The  Chicago  Free  Kindergarten  Association, 
with  headquarters  at  Armour  Institute  and 
Miss  Eva  B.  Whitmore  as  superintendent  and 
Miss  Anna  E.  Bryan  principal  of  the  training 
class,  supports  twenty-five  kindergartens  and 
the  tuition  is  free.  The  Chicago  Kindergar- 
ten College,  of  which  Miss  Elizabeth  Harrison 
is  principal,  and  Mrs.  J.  N.  Crouse  director, 
is  an  influential  factor  in  whatever  pertains  to 
kindergarten  interests  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago 
and  so  is  the  Kindergarten  Institute,  of  which 
Mrs.  Mary  Boomer  Page  is  the  principal. 

Coming  to  the  Pacific  coast,  the  first  name 
to  be  mentioned  is  that  of  Miss  Emma 
Marwedel.  She  was  one  of  the  German  kin- 
dergartners  who  were  persuaded  by  Miss  Pea- 
body  to  transfer  their  work  to  this  country. 
She  graduated  from  the  normal  school  at 
Berlin,  went  to  Washington,  1).  C,  in  1872 
to  open  a  training  school,  removing  to  Los 
Angeles,  Cal.,  in  1876  for  the  same  purpose. 
At  the  latter  place  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin  was 
her  first  pupil.  Two  years  later  Miss  Marwedel 
went  to  Oakland,  where  she  was  instrumental 
in  founding  the  Central  kindergarten.  She  de- 
voted the  rest  of  her  life  to  teaching  and  lec- 
turing at  the  Berkeley  University,  Oakland, 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


63 


and  at  Palo  Alto.  She  wrote  "Conscious 
Motherhood"  and  an  "  Illustrated  Botany," 
and  died  at  San  Francisco,  November  17,  1893, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-live. 

The  kindergarten  movement  in  San  Fran- 
cisco begun  in  the  Bible  class  of  Mrs.  Sarah 
B.  Cooper,  in  October,  1879,  the  first  one  being- 
opened  on  the  "  Barbary  Coast"  which  is  the 
"  Five  Points  "  of  that  city.  Mrs.  Cooper  was 
able  to  influence  public  sentiment  powerfully 
in  favor  of  the  cause  by  writing  a  series  of 
articles  for  the  leading  newspapers.  Subscrip- 
tions poured  in,  the  Golden  Gate  Association 
was  formed,  and  a  wonderful  work  begun.  The 
California  record  of  Kate  Douglass  Wiggin  and 
her  sister  Nora  Archibald  Smith,  two  of  the 
most  brilliant  contributors  to  kindergarten  lit- 
erature that  America  can  boast,  in  connection 
with  the  Silver  Street  kindergarten  and  train- 
ing class,  is  too  well-known  to  need  extended 
review  here. 

The  prescribed  limits  of  this  book  will  not 
admit  of  a  more  extended  notice  of  the  kin- 
dergarten movement  in  America,  outside  of 
the  centers  already  mentioned.  In  Philadel- 
phia the  work  was  begun  by  the  Sub-primary 
School  Societ}7  which  was  maintaining  thirty- 
three  kindergartens  when  they  were  turned 
over  to  the  school  board,  Miss  Constance 
Mackenzie  becoming  the  first  public  supervisor. 
Mrs.  M.  L.  Van  Kirk  has  maintained  a  train- 
ing class  there  for  many  years,  sending  out  a 
multitude  of  graduates  throughout  the  country. 
At  Baltimore  the  Free  Association  supports  a 
number  of  kindergartens  and  provides  a  train- 
ing class  for  the  young  women  of  that  vicinity. 

At  Washington  Mrs.  Louise  Pollock  and  her 
daughter,Miss  Susan  P.  Pollock, begun  to  hold 
up  the  kindergarten  banner  in  1873,  and  many 


others  have  since  joined  in  the  campaign, 
including  Mrs.  Louisa  Mann,  who  is  the  wife 
of  a  nephew  of  Miss  Peabody,  and  Mrs. 
Eudora  L.  Hailmann,  wife  of  the  national 
superintendent  of  Indian  schools.  Favorable 
mention  should  also  be  made  of  Cincinnati, 
Louisville,  Albany,  Buffalo,  Columbus,  Indi- 
anapolis, Detroit,  Milwaukee  and  Minneapo- 
lis, because  of  their  associations  and  training 
classes.  The  kindergarten  is  also  very  influ- 
ential in  some  parts  of  Canada,  particularly 
in  the  city  of  Toronto,  under  the  lead  of  In- 
spector James  L.  Hughes,  who  is  ably  assisted 
by  his  wife,  Mrs.  Ada  Mareau  Hughes,  who 
took  her  training  with  Madame  Kraus-Boelte 
and  Miss  Blow. 

There  are  two  well-recognized  periodicals  in 
this  country,  "The  Kindergarten  Magazine," 
established  in  1888  and  published  by  the  Kin- 
dergarten Literature  Company,  Chicago,  and 
"The  Kindergarten  News,"  started  in  189] 
and  published  by  Milton  Bradley  Company, 
Springfield,  Mass. 

The  kindergarten  department  of  the  National 
Educational  Association  is  one  of  the  most  pop- 
ular and  best  attended  of  all  those  which  are 
connected  with  the  annual  duly  meetings  of 
that  body.  There  is  also  a  very  practical  organ- 
ization called  the  International  Kindergarten 
Union  that  meets  annually  in  February  and 
has  branches  in  all  parts  of  the  country  and 
some  in  other  countries. 

Here  the  record  must  close,  an  attempt  hav- 
ing been  made  merely  to  outline  the  American 
work.  To  include  the  names  of  all  earnest 
workers  would  require  many  pages.  Only  a 
beginning  lias  yet  been  made  toward  establish- 
ing kindergartens  throughout  the  world,  but  the 
outlook  for  the  future  is  certainly  promising. 


FItAU    LOUISE    FROEBEL. 


THE   PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


WIEBE'S   ORIGINAL   TEXT 


WITH  EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


Until  a  recent  period,  hut  little  interest  has 
been  felt  by  people  in  this  country,  with  re- 
gard to  the  Kindergarten  method  of  instruc- 
tion, for  the  simple  reason  that  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  the  system  has  never  been  fully  pro- 
mulgated here.  However  the  lectures  of  Miss 
E.  P.  Peabody  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  have 
awakened  some  degree  of  enthusiasm  upon 
the  subject  in  different  localities,  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  few  Kindergarten  schools 
has  served  to  call  forth  a  more  general  inquiry 
concerning  its  merits. 

We  claim  that  everyone  who  believes  in 
rational  education,  will  become  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  peculiar  features  of  the  work, 
after  having  become  acquainted  with  Frcebel's 
principles  and  plan  ;  and  that  all  that  is  needed 
t<>  enlist  the  popular  sentiment  in  its  favor  is 
the  establishment  of  institutions  of  this  kind, 
in  this  country,  upon  the  right  basis. 

With  such  an  object  in  view,  we  propose  to 
present  an  outline  of  the  Kindergarten  plan  as 
developed  by  its  originator  in  Germany,  and 
to  a  considerable  extent  by  his  followers  in 
France  and  England. 

But  as  Frcebel's  is  a  system  which  must  be 
carried  out  faithfully  in  all  its  important  fea- 
tures, to  insure  success,  we  must  adopt  his 
plan  as  a  whole  and  carry  it  out  with  such 
modifications  of  secondary  minutiae  only,  as 
the  individual  case  may  acquire  without  vio- 
lating its  fundamental  principles.  If  this  can- 
not be  accomplished,  it  were  better  not  to  at- 
tempt the  task  at  all. 

The  present  work  is  entitled  a  Manual  for 
Self- Instruction  anda  Practical  Guide  for  Kin- 
dergartners.  Those  who  design  to  use  it  for 
either  of  these  purposes,  must  not  expect  to 
find  in  it  all  that  they  ought  to  know  in  order 
to  instruct  the  young  successfully  according 
to  Frcebel's  principles.  No  book  can  ever  be 
written  which  is  able  to  make  a  perfect  Kin- 
dergartner;  this  requires  the  training  of  an 
able  teacher  actively  engaged  in  the  work  at 
the  moment.       "Kindergarten  Culture,"  says 


Miss  Peabody,  in  the  preface  to  her  "Moral 
Culture  of  Infancy,"  "is  the  adult  mind  en- 
tering into  the  child's  world  and  appreciating 
nature's  intention  as  displayed  in  every  im- 
pulse of  spontaneous  life,  so  directing  it  that 
the  joy  of  success  may  be  ensured  at  every 
step,  and  artistic  things  be  actually  produced, 
which  gives  the  self-reliance  and  conscious 
intelligence  that  ought  to  discriminate  human 
power  from  blind  force." 

With  this  thought  constantly  present  in  his 
mind,  the  reader  will  find,  in  this  book,  all 
that  is  indispensably  necessary  for  him  to 
know,  from  the  first  establishment  of  the  Kin- 
dergarten through  all  its  various  degrees  of 
development,  including  the  use  of  the  mate- 
rials and  the  engagement  in  such  occupations 
as  are  peculiar  to  the  system.  There  is  much 
more,  however,  that  can  be  learned  only  by 
individual  observation.  The  fact,  that  here 
and  there,  persons,  presuming  upon  the  slight 
knowledge  which  they  may  have  gained  of 
Froebel  and  his  educational  principles,  from 
books,  have  established  schools  called  Kinder- 
gartens, which  in  reality  had  nothing  in  com- 
mon with  the  legitimate  Kindergarten  but  the 
name,  has  caused  distrust  and  even  opposi- 
tion, in  many  minds  toward  everything  that 
pertains  to  this  method  of  instruction.  In  dis- 
criminating between  the  spurious  and  the  real, 
as  is  the  design  of  this  work,  the  author  would 
mention  with  special  commendation,  the  Edu- 
cational Institute  conducted  by  Mrs.  and  Miss 
Kriege  in  Boston.  It  connects  with  the  Kin- 
dergarten proper,  a  Training  School  for  ladies, 
and  any  one  who  wishes  to  be  instructed  in 
the  correct  method,  will  there  be  able  to  ac- 
quire the  desired  knowledge. 

Besides  the  institute  just  mentioned,  there 
is  one  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  writer,  designed  not  only  for  the 
instruction  of  classes  of  children  in  accordance 
with  these  principles,  but  also  for  imparting 
information  to  those  who  are  desirous  to  be- 
come Kindergartners.     From  this  source,  the 


68 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


method  has  already  been  acquired  in  several 
instances,  and  as  one  result,  it  has  been  in- 
troduced into  two  of  the  schools  connected 
with  the  State  Institution  at  Monson,  Mass. 

The  writer  was  in  early  life  acquainted  with 
Fiu'bel ;  and  his  subsequent  experience  as  a 
teacher  has  only  served  to  confirm  the  favor- 
able opinion  of  the  system,  which  he  then  de- 
rived from  a  personal  knowledge  of  its  inven- 
tor. A  desire  to  promote  the  interests  of  true 
education,  has  led  him  to  undertake  this  work 
of  interpretation  and  explanation. 

Without  claiming  for  it  perfection,  he  be- 
lieves that,  as  a  guide,  it  will  stand  favorably 
in  comparison  with  any  publication  upon  the 
subject  in  the  English  or  the  French  language. 


The  German  of  Marenholtz,  Goldammer, 
Morgenstern  and  Frcebel  have  been  made  use 
of  in  its  preparation,  and  though  new  features 
have,  in  rare  cases  only  been  added  to  the 
original  plan,  several  changes  have  been  made 
in  minor  details,  so  as  to  adapt  this  mode  of 
instruction  more  readily  to  the  American  mind. 
This  has  been  done,  however,  without  omitting 
aught  of  that  German  thoroughness,  which 
characterizes  so  strongly  every  feature  of  Froe- 
bel's  system. 

The  plates  accompanying  this  work  are  re- 
prints from  "Goldammer's  Kindergarten,"  a 
book  recently  published  in  Germany. 

Edward  Wiebe. 
Springfield,  Mass.,  1869. 


KINDERGARTEN   CULTURE. 


The  fundamental  principle  of  the  Kinder- 
garten system  of  education,  so  clearly  laid 
down  in  his  writings,  and  so  successfully  car- 
ried out  in  practice  by  Friedrich  Froebel,  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  axiom,  that,  before  ideas  can  be 
defined,  perceptions  must  have  preceded  ;  ob- 
jects must  have  been  presented  to  the  senses, 
and  by  their  examination  experiences  acquired 
of  their  being,  quality  and  action,  of  which 
definite  ideas  are  the  logical  results,  with  which 
they  are  therefore  inseparably  connected.  It  is 
not  claimed  that  this  principle  originated  with 
the  inventor  of  the  Kindergarten;  for  long  be- 
fore him  it  was  said  that :  "Nihil  est  in  intel- 
lectu,  quod  antea  non  fuerit  in  sensu,"  but  in 
the  Kindergarten  system,  he  has  furnished  all 
material  to  begin  the  education  of  mankind  on 
this  logical  basis. 

Definite  ideas  are  to  originate  as  abstractions 
from  perceptions.  (Anschauungen,  as  the  Ger- 
mans say,  meaning  literally  the  looking  at  or 
into  tilings.)  If  they  do  not  originate  in  such 
manner  they  are  not  the  product  of  one's  own 
mental  activity,  but  simply  the  consent  of  the 
understanding  to  the  ideas  of  others.  By  far 
the  greatest  part  of  all  acquired  knowledge  with 
the  mass  of  the  people,  is  of  this  kind.  Every 
one,  however,  even  the  least  gifted,  may  ac- 
quire a  stock  of  fundamental  perceptions,  which 
shall  serve  as  points  of  relation  in  the  process  of 
thinking.  Indefinite  or  confused  fundamental 
or  elementary  perceptions  prevent  understand- 
ing words  with  precision,  which  is  necessary 
to  reflecting  on  the  ideas  and  thoughts  of  others 
with  clearness,  and  appropriating  them  to  one's 
self.  In  the  fact  that  a  large  majority  of  persons 
are  lacking  in  clear  and  distinct  fundamental 
perceptions,  we  find  cause  for  the  existence  of 
so  many  confused  heads, full  of  the  most  absurd 
notions.  The  period  of  life  in  which  the  first 
fundamental  perceptions  are  formed  must  nec- 
essarily be  our  earliest  childhood.  They  can 
form  only  during  this  state  of,  as  it  were,  men- 
tal unconsciousness,  because  the  impressions 
on  the  senses  can  best  be  fixed  lastingly  upon 


the  soul,  when  this  process  is  least  disturbed 
by  reflection  ;  and  impressions  of  objects  of 
the  world  without  upon  our  senses,  are  made 
more  or  less  clearly  and  distinctly,  according 
to  the  nature  of  these  objects  themselves.  A 
mere  acquisition  of  perceptions,  however,  is  not 
sufficient.  As  in  the  development  of  all  organ- 
ism in  nature,  a  certain,  peculiar  series  of 
events  takes  place,  which  always  must  be  the 
same,  or  at  least  take  place  in  accordance 
with  the  same  law,  to  reach  the  same  aim,  or 
produce  the  same  form  ;  so,  also,  in  mental  de- 
velopment, a  peculiar  process,  a  natural  series 
of  events  must  take  place  without  disturbing  oc- 
currences, to  successfully  reach  the  correspond- 
ing idea  in  the  mind.  This  series  of  events 
in  the  mind  and  heart,  connected  with  the  pro- 
cess of  thinking,  is  in  philosophy  explained  to 
consist  of  :  1st.  A  general  or  total  impression. 
2d.  A  perception  or  looking  on  a  single  thing. 
3d.  Observation  of  qualities  and  relations. 
4th.  Comparison.  5th.  Judging.  6th.  Conclu- 
sion. Although  a  right  selection  of  objects, 
and  their  proper  succession,  are  of  the  first 
importance,  adherence  to  these  two  conditions 
is  not  yet  sufficient  to  prepare  and  accustom 
the  mind  to  logical  thinking;  these  means 
should  be  applied  or  presented  in  a  system- 
atic, methodical  way,  also.  A  system  of  edu- 
cation in  perfect  accordance  with  the  laws  of 
nature  is  only  possible,  therefore,  when  the 
modus  opera ndi  of  the  natural  functions  of  the 
soul,  during  their  development,  is  fully  under- 
stood, and  the  exact  means  are  discovered  to 
assist  these  functions  in  a  corresponding  man- 
ner from  without.  As  long  as  this  is  not  done, 
the  education  of  the  human  race  is  left  to  be 
the  result  of  chance,  and  at  the  mercy  of  mere 
educational  instinct.  AVe  claim  that  the  sig- 
nificance of  Fra'bel's  educational  system  con- 
sists mainly  in  a  perfect  understanding  of  the 
natural  process  of  mental  development.  This 
understanding  guided  him  in  preparing  certain 
means  of  education,  or  play,  all  following  the 
same  course  as  the  mental  development  which 


70 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


they  are  intended  t<>  promote.  No  man  has 
ever  looked  so  deeply  as  Friedrich  Froebel  into 
the  secret  workshop  of  a  child's  soul,  and  so 
successfully  discovered  the  means  and  their 
methodical  application  for  a  development  of 
the  young  mind  in  accordance  with  nature's 
own  laws.  To  be  certain  that  the  natural 
course  of  development  be  not  interrupted  but 
logically  assisted,  the  child's  instinct  should 
have  free  choice  within  appointed  limits,  and 
still  be  obliged  to  receive  the  objects  as  they 
are  presented  to  it  for  the  first  perceptions. 
The  means  to  obtain  this,  Froebel  has  found 
in  allowing  the  child  to  manipulate  the  things 
destined  for  the  production  of  changes  accord- 
ing to  his  own  choice.  Thereby  the  child  will 
be  led  to  devote  attention  to  the  objects  formed. 
because  he  looks  upon  them  as  his  own  work, 
and  rejoices  in  what  he  is  able  to  do.  That  free 
unrestricted  activity  of  the  child,  which  Ave  call 
play,  alone  can  comply  with  these  conditions; 
anything  else  forced  upon  the  child,  cau  never 
be  successfully  employed  for  this  purpose.  A 
desire  of  acquiring  knowledge  of  things  is  au 
innate  faculty  of  the  soul,  hence  there  is  no 
need  of  forcing  the  child  into  making  acquaint- 
ance with  the  things  given  him  to  play  with. 
We  have  only  to  select  for  his  playthings  the 
fundamental  forms,  which,  like  the  typical 
formations  in  nature,  offer,  as  it  were,  a  fun- 
damental scheme  for  an  acquaintance  with  the 
large  multitude  of  things.  Knowledge  of  things 
cau  be  acquired  only  by  acquisition  of  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  qualities.  We  then  have  to  pro- 
vide objects  in  which  the  general  qualities  of 
things  are  shown  in  perfect  distinctness,  in  or- 
der to  produce  thereby  clear  and  lasting  per- 
ceptions in  the  mind  of  the  child.  These  ob- 
jects should  be  such  that  they  may  be  easily 
manipulated  by  the  limited  strength  of  the 
child,  that  he  may  become  acquainted  with 
them  by  their  use,  and  become  enabled  thereby 
to  gather  experiences  in  regard  to  events  and 
facts  in  the  physical  world,  and  may,  so  to  say, 
serye  him  for  the  first  physical  experiments. 
Examining  the  list  of  FroebeFs  Kindergarten 
occupation  material,  we  find  it  to  consist  of 
the  following  : 

1.  .Six  soft  balls  of  various  colors. 

2.  Sphere,    cube,   and   cylinder,  made    of 
wood. 


3.  Large  cube,  divided  into  eight  small 
cubes. 

4.  Large  cube,  divided  into  eight  oblong 
blocks. 

5.  Large  cube,  consisting  of  21  whole,  6 
half  and  12  quarter  cubes. 

6.  Large  cube,  consisting  of  18  whole  ob- 
longs with  :;  divided  lengthwise  and  6  divided 
breadthwise. 

7.  Quadrangular,  and  various  triangular 
tablets  for  laying  figures. 

x.    Sticks  or  wands  for  laying  figures. 
!>.    Whole  and   half  wire    rings   for   laying 
figures. 

10.  Material  for  drawing. 

11.  Material  for  perforating. 

12.  Material  for  embroidering. 

13.  Material  for  paper  cutting  and  combin- 
ing the  pails  into  symmetrical  figures. 

14.  Material  for  weaving  or  braiding. 

15.  Slats  for  interlacing. 

16.  Slats  with  4,  II,  8  and  16  links. 

17.  Paper  strips  for  lacing. 

18.  Materia]  for  paper  folding. 

19.  Material  for  peas  work. 

20.  Material  for  modeling. 

The  list  begins  with  the  ball,  an  object,  com- 
prising in  itself,  in  the  simplest  manner,  the 
general  qualities  of  all  things.  As  the  starting 
point  of  form — the  spherical — it  gives  the  first 
impression  of  form,  and  being  the  most  easily 
moved  of  all  forms,  is  symbolical  of  life.  It 
becomes  the  first  knowu  object,  with  which  all 
other  objects  for  the  child's  play  are  brought 
into  relation.  Beside  teaching  form,  the  balls 
are  also  intended  to  teach  color,  hence  their 
number  of  six,  representing  three  primary  and 
three  secondary  colors.  The  principle  of  com- 
bining, uniting,  or  bringing  into  the  relation 
of  opposites,  which  is  a  governing  law  through- 
out all  occupations  in  the  Kindergarten,  is  ap- 
plied here  to  discriminating  primary  and  sec- 
ondary colors,  the  latter  being  produced  by  a 
combination  of  two  of  the  former.* 

For  the  purpose  of  acquiring  clear  and  dis- 
tinct, correct  idea  of  things  around  us,  it  is 
indispensably  necessary  to  become  acquainted 
with  them  in  all  respects  and  relations.  The 
balls  are  made  the  object  of  a  great  variety  of 
plays  or  occupations,  to  make  the  child  be- 
come well  acquainted    with    its   uses,    and    to 


*The  old  Brewster  theory  of  color  here  stated  is  wholly  at  variance  with  the  modern  ideas  on  th£>* 
subject  which  are  elsewhere  outlined  in  this  book. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


71 


enable  him  to  handle  it  gracefully.  Then,  for 
the  purpose  of  comparison,  the  second  Gift  is 
introduced,  consisting  of  sphere,  cube  and  cyl- 
inder. .We  can  here,  certainly  not  yet  speak 
of  a  rational  comparison  on  the  part  of  the 
voung  child,  but  simply  of  an  immediate,  sen- 
sual perception  or  observation  of  the  similari- 
ties and  differences  existing  in  the  things  pre- 
sented. The  child  will  find  by  looking  at  the 
three  new  objects  exhibited  to  him  that  the 
sphere  is  just  like  the  ball,  except  in  its  ma- 
terial. The  first  impression,  that  of  roundness, 
made  upon  the  child  by  the  many  colored,  soft 
balls,  finds  here  its  further  development  by  the 
fact  that  this  quality  is  found  in  this  wooden 
ball,  or  the  sphere,  as  he  may  be  led  to  name  it, 
learning  a  new  word.  To  facilitate  the  pro- 
cess of  comparison,  the  objects  to  be  compared 
should  first  be  as  different  as  possible,  oppo- 
sites  in  a  certain  sense.  The  opposition  be- 
tween sphere  and  cube  relates  to  their  form. 
Together  with  the  oppositional,  or  difference 
in  objects,  their  similarity  should  in  the  mean- 
time be  made  prominent,  for  comparison  de- 
mands to  detect  equality  and  similarity  of 
things  as  well  as  their  distinction  by  inequal- 
ity and  dissimilarity.  The  cylinder  introduced 
as  the  mediatory  between  the  opposites  in  form, 
given  here,  is  the  simplest  and  immediately 
suggested  mediative  form,  because  it  combines 
the  qualities  of  both  cube  and  sphere  in  itself. 

These  three  whole  bodies,  introduced  as  fun- 
damental or  normal  forms  or  shapes,  in  which 
all  qualities  of  whole  bodies  in  general  are 
demonstrated,  and  which  serve  to  convey  the 
idea  of  an  impression  of  the  whole,  are  fol- 
lowed by  the  introduction  of  variously  divided 
solid  bodies.  Without  a  division  of  the  whole, 
observation  and  recognition,  i.  e.,  knowledge 
of  it,  is  next  to  impossible.  The  rational  in- 
vestigation, the  dissecting  and  dividing  by  the 
mind,  in  short,  the  analysis  should  be  preceded 
by  a  like  process  in  real  objects,  if  the  mind 
is  calculated  to  reflect  upon  nature.  Division 
performed  at  random,  however,  can  never  give 
clear  ideas  of  the  whole  or  its  parts,  but  a 
regular  division,  in  accordance  with  certain 
laws,  is  always  needed.  Nature  gives  us  also 
here  the  best  instruction.  She  performs  all  her 
divisions  according  to  mathematical  laws. 

The  orders  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  are 
distinguished  according  to  form  and  number 
of  parts.  Froebel  here,  also,  borrowed  from 
nature  a  guide  which  led  him  in  svstematizino- 


the  means  of  development  of  the  young  mind 
in  the  Kindergarten. 

As  the  first  divided  body,  a  large  cube  is  in- 
troduced, consisting  of  eight  small  cubes  of 
the  same  size  each,  as  its  parts.  The  huge 
cube  is  divided  once  in  each  direction  of  space, 
lengthwise,  breadthwise  and  heightwise.  The 
form  of  the  parts  is  here  like  the  form  of  the 
whole,  and  only  their  relation  as  to  volume  is 
different.  In  shape,  alike,  they  differ  in  size, 
which  fact  becomes  more  apparent  by  a  variety 
of  combinations  of  a  different  number  of  the 
parts.  Thus  the  relation  of  number  is  here 
introduced  to  the  observation  of  the  child,  to- 
gether with  that  of  form  and  magnitude.  A 
clear  and  distinct  idea  of  these  relations  could 
hardly  be  attained  unless  presented  in  this 
manner.  In  the  following  Gift,  diversity  of 
form  in  the  whole  and  its  parts,  is  made  ap- 
parent, preceding  the  introduction  of  the  rela- 
tions of  the  plane.  The  logical  connection 
with  the  preceding  Gifts  consists  in  the  same 
form  of  the  whole,  the  cube,  and  the  same  man- 
ner of  division  ;  the  5th  and  6th  being  divided 
twice,  whereas  the  3rd  and  4th  were  divided 
only  once  in  all  directions  of  space.  The  va- 
riety of  forms  gained,  by  this  division  of  the 
cube,  gives  the  widest  scope  to  the  invention 
and  production  of  combined  forms,  without 
ever  leading  to  an  indefinite,  unlimited,  unre- 
strained activity.  The  logical  combination  of 
parts  to  a  whole,  which  is  required  in  using 
these  blocks,  renders  it  a  preparatory  occupa- 
tion for  succeeding  combinations  of  thought, 
for,  also  the  construction  of  parts  into  a  whole 
follows  certain  laws,  thereby  forming  a  serial 
connection,  which,  in  nature,  is  represented 
by  the  membering  or  linking  of  all  organisms. 
As  nature,  in  the  organic  world,  begins  to  form 
by  agglomeration,  so  the  child  in  its  first  occu- 
pations commences  with  mere  accumulation  of 
1  tarts.  Order,  however,  is  requisite  to  lead  to 
the  beautiful  in  the  visible  world,  as  logic  is 
indispensable  in  the  world  of  thought  for  the 
formation  of  clear  ideas  ;  and  Froebel's  law  to 
link  opposites,  affords  the  simplest  and  most 
reliable  guide  to  this  end. 

For  example,  in  the  building  occupation  this 
law  is  applied  in  relation  to  the  joining  of  blocks 
according  to  their  form,  or  the  different  posi- 
tion of  the  parts  in  relation  to  a  common  cen- 
ter. If  I  join  sides  and  sides, or  edges  and  edges 
of  the  blocks,  I  have  formed  opposites  ;  side  and 
edge  or  edge  and  side  joined,  are  considered 


72 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


as  links  or  mediation.  Thus  below  and  above 
are  opposites  in  relation  to  which  the  right 
and  left  side  of  form  or  figure  built,  serve  as 
mediative  parts.  Carrying  out  this  principle, 
we  have  established  a  most  admirable  order, 
by  which  even  the  youngest  pupil,  frequently 
unknowingly,  produces  the  most  charming  reg- 
ular forms  and  figures.  This  regular  and  serial 
constructing  of  the  parts  to  a  whole,  according 
to  a  determinate  law,  is  followed  by  connect- 
ing various  wholes  with  one  another,  to  pro- 
duce orders  and  series  as  we  find  them  in  all 
the  natural  kingdoms,  just  as  we  are  in  need  of 
categories  in  the  process  of  thinking.  There- 
fore we  produce  in  the  Kindergarten,  by  menus 
of  our  occupation  material,  different  series  of 
forms  and  figures  from  common  elementary 
forms,  which  we  call  either  forms  of  life,  forms 
of  knowledge,  or  forms  of  beauty.  The  first  are 
representations  of  objects  actually  existing  :ni<l 
coming  under  our  common  observation,  as  tin- 
works  of  human  skill  and  art. 

The  second  are  such  as  afford  instruction 
relative  to  number,  order, proportion,  etc.  The 
third  are  figures  representing  only  ideal  forms, 
yet  so  regularly  constructed  as  to  present  per- 
fect models  of  symmetry  and  order  in  arrange- 
ment of  parts.  By  occupation  with  these  differ- 
ently, yet  always  regularly  constructed  bodies, 
the  child  will  make  observations  of  the  greatest 
variety,  which,  by  immediate  use  of  the  objects 
by  manipulation  and  experiment,  make  a  real 
experience.  The  observations,  for  example,  of 
the  vertical  and  horizontal,  of  the  right  angled, 
of  the  directions  of  up  and  downward,  of  under, 
above  and  next  one  another;  of  regularity, 
of  equipoise,  the  relation  of  circumference  and 
center,  of  multiplication  and  division,  of  all 
that  produces  harmony  in  construction,  etc., 
impress  themselves,  as  it  were,  indelibly  upon 
the  child's  mind  almost  at  every  step.  The  first 
knowledge,  or  rather  idea  of  the  qualities  of 
matter,  and  the  first  experiences  of  its  use,  are 
obtained  thus  in  the  simplest  manner  and  de- 
lightfully. Thus  the  lawful  shaping,  logical 
development  and  methodical  application  of  the 
material,  is,  as  it  were,  the  logic  of  nature 
imitated,  whose  representation  is  found  in  the 
forms  of  crystallization.  It  is  natural  that  the 
works  of  God  should  reflect  the  logic  of  the 
great  Creator's  mind,  and  thereby  be  made  the 
teachers  of  mankind.  What  can  man  do  1  tet- 
ter in  educating  the  human  mind,  than  imitate 
these  means,  for  the  purpose  of  unfolding  and 


strengthening  the  germ  of  logic,  implanted  in 
the  mind  of  every  human  being,  created  in  the 
image  of  his  God. 

A  condition  of  indisputable  importance  for 
the  acquisition  of.  knowledge  of  things,  is  the 
knowledge  of  the  material  of  which  they  con- 
sist, aud  their  qualities,  aud  this  should  be  in- 
troduced in  right  succession.  From  the  2d  to 
6th  Gifts,  the  objects  consist  of  wood,  and 
they  are  in  the  meantime  solid  bodies. 

The  next  step  in  the  use  of  matter  as  the 
representation  of  mind,  is  the  transition  to 
the  plane,  Froebel's  Tablets  for  laying  figures. 
In  them,  the  simple  mathematic  fundamental 
forms  are  given  as  embodied  planes,  beginning 
with  the  square,  which  is  followed  successively 
by  the  right-angled  triangle  with  two  equal 
sides  (the  half  square)  ;  the  right-angled  tri- 
angle with  unequal  sides  ;  the  obtuse-angled 
triangle,  and  the  equilateral  triangle. 

The  slats  given  for  the  play  of  interlacing 
form  the  transition  from  the  plane  to  the  line, 
resembling  the  latter,  although,  owing  to  their 
width,  still  occupying  space  as  a  plane.  They 
represent  in  one  respect  a  progress  beyond  the 
sticks,  because  they  may  be  joined  for  the  pur- 
pose of  representing  lasting  forms. 

The  sticks,  representing  the  embodied  line, 
facilitate  the  elements  of  drawing,  serving  as 
movable  outlines  of  planes.  They  are  to  be 
looked  upon  as  the  divided  plane  in  order  to 
adhere  to  their  connections  and  relation  with 
the  form  from  which  we  started.  By  means 
of  the  sticks,  numerical  relation  first  is  made 
more  prominent  and  evident  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  figures.  The  application  of  the  law  of 
opposites  relates  in  all  previous  occupations  to 
the  form  and  direct  ion  of  parts. 

In  the  so-called  peas-work  the  sticks  or  wires 
are  united  by  points,  represented  by  peas,  de- 
monstrating that  it  is  union  which  produces 
lasting  formation  of  matter. 

Here  closes  the  first  section  of  Froebel's  em- 
bodied alphabet,  intended  to  give  the  elemental 
images  for  the  succeeding  recognition  of  com- 
plex form,  magnitude  and  numerical  relations. 
Thus  the  child  has  been  guided  in  a  logical 
manner  from  the  solid  body  through  its  divi- 
sions and  through  the  embodied  plane,  line  and 
point,  in  matter  and  by  matter,  to  the  borders 
of  the  abstract,  without  going  over  into  abstrac- 
tion, which  is  a  later  process,  to  be  postponed 
to  the  school  that  succeeds  to  the  Kindergar- 
ten.    To  reduce  or  '•'•lead  back"  mathematical 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


73 


perception  (abstract  thinking )  to  appearances 
in  the  material  world,  no  more  appropriate 
means  and  method  could  have  been  devised. 
All  abstractions  are  drawn — abstracted  accord- 
ing to  the  original  meaning  of  the  word — from 
manifestations  of  the  visible  world.  Although 
further  final  conclusions  (which  ma}^  be  contin- 
ued ad  infinitum)  shall  remove  them  from  their 
origin,  elevate  them  to  their  loftiest  heights 
of  thought,  their  roots  are  ever  to  be  looked 
for  in  the  material  world.  The  assertion  that 
ideas  are  founded  and  denned  by  perceptions 
only,  is  either  entirely  erroneous  and  not  to  be 
proved,  or  there  must  exist  such  a  connection, 
such  an  analogy,  between  the  things  of  the  ma- 
terial world  and  the  objects  of  thought,  as  has 
been  indicated  here.  And  if  it  can  be  proved 
that  such  a  course  of  development  of  the  hu- 
man mind  necessarily  takes  place  in  some  de- 
gree without  our  assistance,  as  a  natural  proc- 
ess, then  education  should  not  dare  to  pre- 
scribe any  other  one  ;  then  this  is  the  only 
true  method  of  developing  the  mind,  because 
it  operates  with  nature's  laws,  although  it  does 
not  exclude  all  assistance  on  our  part,  but  in- 
vokes it.  "We  have  often  opportunity  to  notice 
how  easily  the  mind,  without  human  assistance 
grows  in  wrong  directions,  like  the  young  tree 
that  never  felt  the  effect  of  the  pruning  knife. 

In  the  following  occupations  of  the  Kinder- 
garten we  shall  notice  the  progress  from  the 
solid  body  or  object  itself  to  the  representation 
of  its  image  by  drawing.  Planes  and  lines,  the 
various  forms  of  the  triangle  and  other  geo- 
metric figures,  occur  also  here,  but  they  are 
produced  by  different  material.  The  touching 
or  handling  of  the  solid  body,  the  most  im- 
portant means  of  acquiring  knowledge  during 
the  first  years  of  a  child's  life,  during  the  state 
of  its  rational  unconsciousness,  is  now  entirely 
changed  to  a  looking  at  objects  presented  to 
its  observation  ;  and  the  image  of  the  body, 
so  to  say,  takes  the  place  of  the  body  itself. 
Drawing  with  pencil  is  of  such  paramount  im- 
portance because  the  child  is  enabled  by  it  to 
reproduce  quickly  and  easily  the  images  im- 
parted to  its  mind  by  their  own  visible  repre- 
sentation, whereby  they  become  truly  objective 
and  are  only  then  fully  understood.  Instruc- 
tion in  writing  should  never  precede  instruc- 
tion in  drawing. 

In  the  development  of  the  human  race,  the 
body  unmistakably  precedes  its  image  or  rep- 
resentation, as  the  drawn  image  preceded  the 


written  sign  or  letter.  In  the  incipient  stages 
of  civilization,  these  signs  for  things  were 
images,  as  Ave  see  in  all  hieroglyphic  inscrip- 
tions. Our  modern  letters  occupy  the  highest 
step  in  the  scale  of  the  language  of  signs 
(which  we  should  not  forget). 

Frcebel's  method  of  instruction  in  drawing  is 
as  ingenious  as  it  is  simple.  The  same  course 
as  pursued  in  the  study  of  things,  according  to 
their  form,  size  and  number,  and  mathematical 
proportions  is  also  here  adhered  to.  The  va- 
rious forms  which  have  previously  occupied 
the  child  in  their  existence  as  bodies,  appear 
here  in  drawn  pictures,  and  are  multiplied  ad 
infinitum.  The  progression  from  the  simplest 
rudiment  to  the  more  complicated,  the  great 
multiplicity  of  series,  determined  by  the  vari- 
ous directions  of  the  lines  and  the  geometric 
fundamental  forms,  the  logical  progression 
from  the  straight  to  the  curved  lines,  render 
drawing — not  considering  here  its  immediate 
artistic  significance — one  of  the  most  efficient 
means  for  disciplining  the  mind  of  the  young 
pnpil.  It  is  the  first  step  for  the  child  to  a 
future  careful  observation  of  the- general  con- 
nection of  things  from  the  smallest  to  the 
largest,  as  parts  as  well  as  wholes. 

In  the  following  occupations,  the  material  of 
which  is  a  more  refined  one,  color  is  introduced 
in  connection  with  multiplication  of  form,  and 
the  products  of  the  children's  work  are  con- 
stantly approaching  real  artistic  creations.  In 
the  braiding  or  weaving  the  thought  of  number 
is  predominating  because  the  opposites  of  odd 
and  even  are  combined  by  alternately  employ- 
ing both.  In  the  paper-folding,  opposites  are 
formed  by  the  oppositional  directions  of  the 
lines,  (horizontal or  perpendicular)  originating 
in  the  folding  of  the  paper,  and  these  oppo- 
sites are  connected  by  the  mediative  oblique 
line.  In  like  manner  this  law  is  applied  to 
angles,  acute  and  obtuse  as  opposites,  the 
right  angle  serving  as  a  mediatory.  This  is 
repeated  in  the  occupation  of  perforating  and 
embroidering.  The  cutting  of  paper,  also,  es- 
pecially affords  a  perfect  view  of  all  the  mathe- 
matical elements  for  the  purpose  of  plastic  rep- 
resentation. 

Thus  we  find  everywhere  the  same  logical 
chain  of  perception,  and  subsequent  represen- 
tation and  experimental  knowledge  resulting 
from  both,  and  thus  all  parts  aud  sections  of 
this  system  of  occupation  are  logically  united 
with  one  another,  serving  the  child's  mind  as  a 


74 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


faithful  reflector  of  its  own  internal  develop- 
ment at  each  and  every  step.  And  well  may  the 
matured  mind,  developed  according  to  these 
principles,  in  future  days  retrace  with  facility 
its  conceiving  and  thinking  to  the  clear  and 
sharply  defined,  as  it  were,  typical  images  of 
this  reflector,  as  their  very  origin,  for  such  ex- 
periences surely  can  never  be  effaced. 

It  has  been  charged  by  those  who  have  only 
a  superficial  knowledge  of  Froebel's  educational 
system,  that  by  it  the  faculties  of  the  young 
mind  are  too  soon  awakened,  which  should 
not  be  taxed  at  so  early  an  age.  To  this  ac- 
cusation we  invite  the  most  careful  investiga- 
tion, the  result  of  which,  we  doubt  not,  will  be 
a  conviction  that  just  the  opposite  is  the  case. 

Manual  occupation,  performed  in  connection 
with  all  means  of  occupation  in  the  Kindergar- 
ten, continual  representation  of  objects,  plas- 
tic formation  and  production,  are  all  attractive 
to  the  nature  of  the  child  and  touch  the  springs 
of  spontaneity  in  its  very  core.  All  observa- 
tions which  appeal  to  the  understanding  and 
prepare  mathematical  conceptions  occur,  as  it 
were,  as  accessories  only,  and  to  such  an  extent 
as  the  child's  desire  calls  for  them.  Nothing  is 
ever  forced  upon  the  pupil's  mind.  It  can- 
not even  be  said  that  teaching  is  prominent, 
but  rather  practical  occupation,  individually- 
intended  production,  on  the  part  of  the  chil- 
dren ;  which  give  rise  to  most  of  the  remarks 
required  to  be  made  on  the  part  of  the  Kinder- 
gartner.  The  element  of  working,  which  every 
child's  nature  craves  is  predominating.  Ac- 
tivity of  the  hand  is  the  fundamental  condition 
of  all  development  in  the  child,  as  it  is  also 
the  fundamental  condition  for  the  acquisition 
of  knowledge,  and  the  subjection  of  matter. 
Mechanical  ability,  technical  dexterity,  educa- 
tion of  all  human  senses  require  under  all  cir- 
cumstances manual  occupation.  However,  if 
this  side  of  Froebel's  educational  system  is 
mentioned,  another  class  of  opponents  is  ready 
to  object,  that  the  child  should  not  begin  with 
work,  but  that  first  its  mind  should  be  devel- 
oped. We  understand  these  various  objections 
to  mean  that  the  child's  powers  should  not  be 
employed  in  mechanical  occupation  exclusive- 
ly, nor  be  entirely  deprived  of  it,  but  that 
a  harmonious  development  of  body  and  mind 
should  be  the  task  of  education.  This  is  in 
perfect  accordance  with  Froebel's  principles, 
which,  if  carried  out  lightly,  will  accomplish 
this  in  the  fullest  meanino;  of  the  word.      No 


occupation  in  the  Kindergarten  is  merely  me- 
chanical, it  is  one  of  the  most  important  rules 
that  the  mere  mechanical,  as  contrary  to  the 
child's  nature,  should  studiously  be  avoided. 

Nothing  is  plainer  to  the  careful  observer  of 
the  child's  nature  than  the  desire  of  the  little 
mind  to  observe  and  imbibe  all  its  surroundings 
with  all  its  senses  simultaneous!)/.  It  wishes  to 
see,  to  hear,  to  feel,  all  beautiful,  joyful,  and 
pleasant  things,  and  then  strives  to  reproduce 
them  as  far  as  its  limited  faculties  will  admit. 
To  receive  and  give  back,  is  life,  life  in  all  its 
directions,  with  all  its  powers.  This  is  what 
the  child  desires,  what  it  should  be  led  to  ac- 
complish with  a  view  to  its  own  development. 
Eyes  and  ears  seek  the  beautiful,  the  sense  of 
taste  and  smell  enjoy  the  agreeable,  and  the 
impression  which  this  beautiful  and  agreeable 
make  upon  the  child's  mind  calls  forth  in  the 
child's  innermost  soul,  the  desire,  nay,  the  ne- 
cessity of  production,  representation,  or  forma- 
tion. If  we  should  neglect  providing  the  means 
to  gratify  such  desire,  a  full  development  of 
the  heart  of  the  individual,  a  higher  taste  for 
the  ideal  in  it,  never  could  be  the  result.  We 
believe  that  this  desire  cannot  be  assisted  more 
perfectly  and  appropriately  than  by  accom- 
plishment in  form,  color,  and  tone,  each  ex- 
pressing and  representing  in  its  own  manner, 
the  feeling  of  the  beautiful  and  agreeable.  The 
earlier  such  accomplishment  is  begun,  the 
more  perfectly  the  heart  or  aesthetic  sentiment 
in  man  will  be  developed,  the  more  surely  a 
foundation  for  the  moral  development  of  the 
individual  be  laid.  Aptness  in  formation  and 
production  conditions  the  development  of  the 
hand,  simultaneously  with  the  development  of 
the  senses.  It  conditions,  also,  knowledge  and 
subjection  of  matter  and  the  proper  material 
for  the  yet  weak  and  unskilled  hand  of  chil- 
dren. Formation  itself  furthermore  conditions 
observation  of  the  various  relations  of  form, 
size,  and  number,  as  shown  in  connection  with 
the  gifts,  employed  for  the  preparatory  devel- 
opment of  the  perceptive  faculties.  Mathe- 
matical forms  and  figures  are,  as  it  were,  the 
skeleton  of  the  beautiful  in  form,  which,  in 
its  perfection  always  requires  the  curved  line. 
Images  of  ancient  peoples,  as  we  find  them, 
in  the  Egyptian  temples,  for  example,  are 
straight-lined,  hence  are  geometrical  figures. 
The  curved  line,  the  true  line  of  beauty,  we  find 
subsequently,  when  the  artistic  feeling  had  be- 
come more  fully  developed.      The  forms   of 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


75 


beauty  alternating  in  all  branches  of  Kinder- 
garten occupation, with  those  of  life  and  knowl- 
edge, afford  the  most  appropriate  means  for 
the  development  of  a  sense  of  art  as  well  as 
of  aptness  in  art,  in  the  meantime  preventing 
a  one-sided  prevalence  of  a  mere  cold  under- 
standing. 

The  faculties  of  the  soul  are  not  yet  dis- 
tinctly separated  in  the  young  child,  the  un- 
derstanding, feeling  and  will,  act  in  union 
with  one  another  and  every  one  is  developed 
through  and  with  the  others.  The  combina- 
tions of  the  power  of  representation  in  forma- 
tion serve  also  as  the  preliminary  exercise  for 
that  combination  of  thought ;  and  what  the 
hand  produces  strengthens  the  will  and  energy 
of  the  young  mind  in  the  meantime  affording 
gratification  to  the  heart.  All  work  of  man, 
be  it  common  manual  work,  or  a  wrork  of  art, 
or  purely  mental  labor  is  always  the  uniting 
of  parts  to  a  whole,  i.  e.,  organizing  in  the 
highest  sense  of  the  word.  The  more  we  are 
conscious  of  aim,  means,  manner  and  method 
connected  with  our  work,  the  more  the  mind  is 
active  in  it,  the  higher  and  nobler  the  result  will 
be.  The  lowest  step  of  human  labor  is  formed 
by  mechanical  imitation,  the  highest  is  free 
formation  or  production,  according  to  one's 
own  conception.  Between  these  two  points  we 
find  the  whole  scale  by  which  the  crudest  kind 
of  labor  mounts  to  a  free  production  in  art  and 
science  and  on  which  invention  stands  upper- 
most as  the  gradual  triumphant  result    from 


simplest  imitation.  It  is  this  scale  en  minia- 
ture through  which  the  child's  mind  is  con- 
ducted by  means  of  Froebel's  occupation  ma- 
terial. From  the  first  immediate  impression, 
received  from  objects  and  forms  of  the  visible 
world,  it  rises  to  art,  or  creation  according  to 
its  own  idea,  which  is  its  own  production. a  self- 
willed  formation.  For  this  purpose  nature  im- 
planted in  the  human  mind  a  strong  desire  to 
produce  form,  which,  if  correctly  guided,  be- 
comes the  most  useful  faculty  of  the  soul. 
Simply  by  this  desire  of  formation  the  images 
of  perception  attain  the  necessary  perfect  dis- 
tinctness and  clearness,  the  power  of  obser- 
vation, its  keenness  and  experience,  its  proofs, 
all  of  which  are  requisite,  to  afford  to  the  work- 
ing of  the  human  mind  a  sure  foundation.  Free 
invention,  creating, is  the  culminating  point  of 
mental  independence.  We  lead  the  child  to  this 
eminence  by  degrees.  Sometimes  accident  has 
led  to  invention  and  production  of  the  new,  but 
Froebel  has  provided  a  systematically  graded 
method  by  which  infancy  may  at  once  start 
upon  the  road  to  this  eminent  aim  of  inventing. 
If  the  full  consciousness,  the  clear  concep- 
tion of  its  aim  is  at  first  wanting,  it  is  pre- 
pared by  every  step  onward.  The  objects  pre- 
sented and  the  material  employed,  afford  the 
child,  under  the  guidance  of  a  mature  mind, 
the  alphabet  of  art,  as  well  as  that  of  knowl- 
edge, and  it  is  worth  while  here  to  remark  that 
history  shows  that  art  comes  before  science  in 
all  human  development. 


THE    PARADISE   OF   CHILDHOOD 


A  GUIDE  TO  KINDERGARTNERS. 


ESTABLISHMENT  OF  A  KINDERGARTEN. 


The  requisites  for  the  establishment  of  a 
"Kindergarten"  are  the  following: 

1.  A  house,  containing  at  least  one  large 
room,  spacious  enough  to  allow  the  children, 
not  only  to  engage  in  all  their  occupations, 
both  sitting  and  standing,  but  also  to  practice 
their  movement  plays,  which,  during  inclement 
seasons,  must  be  done  indoors. 

2.  Adjoining  the  large  room,  one  or  two 
smaller  rooms  for  sundry  purposes. 

3.  A  number  of  tables,  according  to  the  size 
of  the  school,  each  table  affording  a  smooth 
surface  ten  feet  long  and  four  feet  wide,  rest- 
ing on  movable  frames  from  eighteen  to  twenty- 
four  inches  high.  The  table  should  be  divided 
into  ten  equal  squares,  to  accommodate  as 
many  pupils  ;  and  each  square  subdivided  into 
smaller  squares  of  one  inch,  to  guide  the  chil- 
dren in  many  of  their  occupations.  On  either 
side  of  the  tables  should  be  settees  with  fold- 
ing seats,  or  small  chairs  ten  to  lifteen  inches 
high.  The  tables  and  settees  should  not  be 
fastened  to  the  floor,  as  they  will  need  to  be 
removed  at  times  to  make  room  for  occupa- 
tions in  which  they  are  not  used. 

4.  A  piano-forte  for  gymnastic  and  musical 
exercises — the  latter  being  an  important  fea- 
ture of  the  plan,  since  all  the  occupations  are 
interspersed  with,  and  many  of  them  accom- 
panied by  singing. 

5.  Various  closets  for  keeping  the  apparatus 
and  work  of  the  children — a  wardrobe,  wash- 
stand,  chairs,  teacher's  table,  etc. 


The  house  should  be  pleasantly  located,  re- 
moved from  the  bustle  of  a  thoroughfare,  and 
its  rooms  arranged  with  strict  regard  to  hy- 
gienic principles.  A  garden  should  surround 
or,  at  least  adjoin  the  building,  for  frequent 
outdoor  exercises,  and  for  gardening  purposes. 
A  small  plot  is  assigned  to  each  child,  in  which 
he  sows  the  seeds  and  cultivates  the  plants, 
receiving,  in  due  time,  the  flowers  or  fruits, 
as  the  result  of  his  industry  and  care. 

When  a  Training  School  is  connected  with 
the  Kindergarten,  the  children  of  the  "■Garten" 
are  divided  into  groups  of  five  or  ten — each 
group  being  assisted  in  its  occupations  by 
one  of  the  lady  pupils  attending  the  Training 
School. 

Should  there  be  a  greater  number  of  such 
assistants  than  can  lie  conveniently  occupied 
in  the  Kindergarten,  they  may  take  turns  with 
each  other.  In  a  Training  School  of  this  kind, 
under  the  charge  of  a  competent  director, 
ladies  are  enabled  to  acquire  a  thorough  and 
practical  knowledge  of  the  system.  They 
should  bind  themselves,  however,  to  remain 
connected  with  the  institution  a  specified  time, 
and  to  follow  out  the  details  of  the  method 
patiently,  if  they  aim  to  fit  themselves  to  con- 
duct a  Kindergarten  with  success. 

In  any  establishment  of  more  than  twenty 
children,  a  nurse  should  be  in  constant  attend- 
ance. It  should  be  her  duty  also  to  preserve 
order  and  cleanliness  in  the  rooms,  and  to  act 
as  janitrix  to  the  institution. 


MEANS  AND  WAYS  OF  OCCUPATION 

IN  THE  KINDERGARTEN. 


Before  entering  into  a  description  of  the  va- 
rious means  of  occupation  in  the  Kindergarten, 
it  will  be  proper  to  state  that  Friedrich  Froebel, 
the  inventor  of  this  system  of  education,  calls 
all  occupations  in  the  Kindergarten  "plays"  and 
the  materials  for  occupation  "gifts."  In  these 
systematically-arranged  plays,  Frcebel  starts 
from  the  fundamental  idea  that  all  education 
should  begin  with  a  development  of  the  desire 
for  activity  in  mite  in  the  child  :  and  he  has  been, 
:is  is  universally  acknowledged,  eminently  suc- 
cessful in  this  part  of  his  important  work. 
Each  step  in  the  course  of  training  is  a  logical 
sequence  of  the  preceding  one  ;  and  the  various 
means  of  occupation  are  developed,  one  from 
another,  in  a  perfectly  natural  order,  begin- 
ning Avith  the  simplest  and  concluding  with 
the  most  difficult  features  in  all  the  varieties 
of  occupation.  Together  they  satisfy  all  the 
demands  of  the  child's  nature  in  respect  both 
to  mental  and  physical  culture,  and  lay  the 
surest  foundation  for  all  subsequent  educa- 
tion in  school  and  in  life. 

The  time  of  occupation  in  the  Kindergarten 
is  three  or  four  hours  on  each  week  day,  usu- 
ally from  1)  to  12  or  1  o'clock;  and  the  time 
allotted  to  each  separate  occupation,  includ- 
ing the  changes  from  one  to  another,  is  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes.  Movement  plays,  so- 
called,  in  which  the  children  imitate  the  flying 
of  birds,  swimming  of  fish,  the  motions  of 
sowing,  mowing,  threshing,  etc.,  in  connec- 
tion with  light  gymnastics  and  vocal  exercises, 
alternate  with  the  plays  performed  in  a  sitting 
posture.  All  occupations  that  can  be  engaged 
in  out  of  doors,  are  carried  on  in  the  garden 
whenever  the  season  and  weather  permit. 

For  the  reason  that  the  various  occupations, 
as  previously  stated,  are  so  intimately  con- 
nected, glowing,  as  it  were,  out  of  each  other, 
they  are  introduced  very  gradually,  so  as  to 
afford  each  child  ample  time  to  become  suffi- 
ciently  prepared  for  the  next  step,  without 
interfering,  however,  with  the  rapid  progress 


of  such  as  are  of  a  more  advanced  age,  or 
endowed  with  stronger  or  better  developed 
faculties. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  gifts  or  ma- 
terial and  means  of  occupation  in  the  Kinder- 
garten, each  of  which  will  be  specified  and 
described  separately  hereafter. 

There  are  altogether  twenty  gifts,  according 
to  Froebel's  general  definition  of  the  term,  al- 
though the  first  six  only  are  usually  designated 
by  this  name.  We  choose  to  followr  the  classi- 
fication  and  nomenclature  of  the  great  inventor 
of  the  system. 

LIST  OF  FRCEBEL'S  GIFTS. 

1.  Six  rubber  balls,  covered  with  a  net  work 
of  twine  or  worsted  of  various  colors. 

2.  Sphere,  cube  and  cylinder,  made  of  wood. 

3.  Large  cube,  consisting  of  eight  small 
cubes. 

4.  Large  cube,  consisting  of  eight  oblong 
parts. 

5.  Large  cube,  consisting  of  whole,  half, 
and  quarter  cubes. 

6.  Large  cube  consisting  of  doubly  divided 
oblongs. 

[The  third,  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  gifts  serve 
for  building  purposes.] 

7.  Square  and  triangular  tablets  for  laying 
of  figures. 

8.  Sticks  for  laying  of  figures. 

9.  Whole  and  half  rings  for  la}Ting  of 
figures. 

10.  Material  for  drawing. 

11.  Material  for  perforating. 

12.  Material  for  embroidering. 

L3.   Material  for  cutting  of  paper  and  com- 
bining pieces. 

14.  Material  for  braiding. 

15.  Slats  for  interlacing. 

16.  The  slat  with  many  links. 

17.  Material  for  intertwining. 

18.  Material  for  paper  folding. 

19.  Material  for  peas-work. 

20.  Material  for  modeling. 


THE  FIRST  GIFT. 


The  First  Gift,  which  consists  of  six  rub- 
ber 1  tails,  over-wrought  with  worsted,  for  the 
purpose  of  representing  the  three  fundamen- 
tal and  three  mixed  colors,  is  introduced  in 
this  manner : — 

The  children  are  made  to  stand  in  one  or 
two  rows,  with  heads  erect,  and  feet  upon  a 
given  line,  or  spots  marked  on  the  floor. 
The  teacher  then  u'ives  directions  like  the  fol- 
lowing : — 

"Lift  up  your  right  hands  as  high  as  you 
can  raise  them." 

"Take  them  down." 

tkLift  up  your  left  hands."      "Down." 

"Lift  up  both  your  hands."      "Down." 

'•Stretch  forward  your  right  hands,  that  I 
may  give  each  of  you  something  that  J  have  in 
my  box." 

The  teacher  then  places  a  ball  in  the  hand 
of  each  child,  and  asks: — 

••Who  can  tell  me  the  name  of  what  you 
have  received  ?"  Questions  may  follow  about 
the  color,  material,  shape,  and  other  qualities 
of  the  ball,  which  will  call  forth  the  replies, 
blue,  yellow,  rubber,  round,  light,  soft,  etc. 

The  children  are  then  required  to  repeat 
sentences  pronounced  by  the  teacher,  as — 
ktThe  ball  is  round;"  "My  hall  is  green  ;"  "J// 
these  balls  are  made  of  rubber,"  etc.  They 
are  then  required  to  return  all,  except  the  blue 
balls,  those  who  give  up  theirs  being  allowed 
to  select  from  the  box  a  blue  ball  in  exchange  ; 
so  that  in  the  end  each  child  has  a  ball  of  that 
color.  The  teacher  then  says  :  "Each  of  you 
has  now  a  blue,  rubber  ball,  which  is  round, 
soft  and  light;  and  these  balls  will  be  your 
balls  to  play  with.  I  will  give  you  another  hall 
to-morrow,  and  the  next  day  another,  and  so 
on,  until  you  have  quite  a  number  of  Dulls, 
all  of  which  will  be  of  rubber,  but  no  two  of 
the  same  color." 

The  six  differently  colored  halls  are  to  be 
used,  one  on  each  day  of  the  week,  which  as- 
sists the  children  in  recollecting  the  days  of 
the  week,  and  the  colors.  After  distributing 
the  balls,  the  same  questions  may  be  asked  as 
at  the  beginning,  and  the  children  taught  to 
raise  and  drop  their  hands  with  the  balls  in 
them  ;  and  if  there  is  time,  they  may  make  a 
few  attempts   to  throw   and   catch   the  balls. 


This  is  enough  for  the  fust  lesson;  and  it  will 
be  sure  to  awaken  enthusiasm  and  delight  in 
the  children. 

The  object  of  the  first  occupation  is  to  teach 
the  children  to  distinguish  between  the  right 
and  the  left  hand,  and  to  name  the  various 
colors.  It  may  serve  also  to  develop  their  vocal 
organs,  and  instruct  them  in  the  rules  of  po- 
liteness. How  the  latter  may  be  accomplished, 
even  with  such  simple  occupation  as  playing 
with  balls,  may  be  seen  from  the  following  : — 

In  presenting  the  balls,  pains  should  be 
taken  to  make  each  child  extend  the  light 
hand,  and  do  it  gracefully.  The  teacher,  in 
putting  the  ball  into  the  little  outstretched 
hand,  says : — 

"Charles,  I  place  this  red,  (green,  yellow, 
etc.,)  ball  into  your  right  hand."  The  child 
is  taught  to  reply: — 

"I  thank  you,  sir." 

After  the  play  is  over,  and  the  balls  are  to 
be  replaced,  each  one  says,  in  returning  his 
ball  :— 

"I  place  this  red  (green,  yellow,  etc.,)  ball, 
with  my  right  hand  into  the  box." 

When  the  children  have  acquired  some 
knowledge  of  the  different  colors,  they  may  he 
asked  at  the  commencement : — 

"With  which  ball  would  you  like  to  play 
this  morning — the  green,  red,  or  blue  one?" 
The  child  will  reply  : — 

"With  the  blue  one,  if  you  please  ;"  or  one 
of  such  other  color  as  may  be  preferred. 

It  may  appear  rather  monotonous  to  some 
to  have  each  child  repeat  the  same  phrase; 
but  it  is  only  by  constant  repetition  and  pa- 
tient drill  that  anything  can  be  learned  accu- 
rately ;  and  it  is  certainly  important  that  these 
youthful  minds,  in  their  formative  state,  should 
be  taught  at  once  the  beauty  of  on  ha-  and  the 
necessity  of  rules.  So  the  left  hand  should 
never  be  employed  when  the  right  hand  is  re- 
quired ;  and  all  mistakes  should  be  carefully 
noticed  and  corrected  by  the  teacher.  One 
important  feature  of  this  system  is  the  incul- 
cation of  habits  of  precision. 

The  children's  knowledge  of  color  may  be 
improved  by  asking  them  what  other  things 
are  similar  to  the  different  balls,  in  respect  to 
color.      After    naming    several    objects,    they 


80 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


may  be  made  to  repeat  sentences  like  tbe  fol- 
lowing : — 

"My  ball  is  green,  like  a  leaf."  "My  ball 
is  yellow,  like  a  lemon."  "And  mine  is  red, 
like  blood,"  etc. 

Whatever  is  pronounced  in  these  conversa- 
tional lessons  should  be  articulated  very  dis- 
tinctly and  accurately,  so  as  to  develop  the 
organs  of  speech,  and  to  correct  any  defect 
of  utterance,  whether  constitutional  or  the  re- 
sult of  neglect.  ( )pportunities  for  phonetic  and 
elocutionary  practice  are  here  afforded.  Let 
no  one  consider  the  infant  period  as  too  early 
for  such  exercises.  If  children  learn  to  speak 
well  before  they  learn  to  read,  they  never  need 
special  instruction  in  the  art  of  reading  with 
expression. 

For  a  second  play  with  the  balls,  the  class 
forms  a  circle,  after  the  children  have  received 
the  balls  in  the  usual  manner.  They  need  to 
stand  far  enough  apart,  so  that  each,  with 
arms  extended,  can  just  touch  his  neighbor's 
hand.  Standing  in  this  position,  aud  having 
the  balls  in  their  right  hands,  the  children  pass 
them  into  the  left  hands  of  their  neighbors. 
In  this  way,  each  one  gives  and  receives  a  ball 
at  the  same  time,  and  the  left  hands  should, 
therefore,  be  held  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
balls  can  be  readily  placed  in  them.  The  arms 
are  then  raised  over  the  head,  and  the  balls 
passed  from  the  left  into  the  right  hand,  and 
the  arms  again  extended  iuto  the  first  position. 
This  process  is  repeated  until  the  balls  make 
the  complete  circuit,  and  return  into  the  right 
hands  of  the  original  owners.  The  balls  are 
then  passed  to  the  left  in  the  same  way,  every- 
thing being  done  in  an  opposite  direction.  This 
exercise  should  be  continued  until  it  can  be 
doue  rapidly  and,  at  the  same  time,  gracefully. 

Simple  as  this  performance  may  appeal-  to 
those  who  have  never  tried  it,  it  is,  neverthe- 
less, not  easily  done  by  very  young  children 
without  frequent  mistakes  and  interruptions. 


It  is  better  that  the  children  should  not  turn 
their  heads,  so  as  to  watch  their  hands  during 
the  changes,  but  be  guided  solely  b}T  the  sense 
of  touch  ;  and  to  accomplish  this  with  more 
certainty,  they  may  be  required  to  close  their 
eyes.  It  is  advisable  not  to  introduce  this 
play  or  any  of  the  following,  until  expertness 
is  acquired  in  the  first  and  simpler  form. 

In  the  third  play,  the  children  form  in  two 
rows  fronting  each  other.  Those  of  one  row 
only  receive  balls.  These  they  toss  to  the 
opposite  row  :  first,  one  by  one  ;  then  two  by 
two;  finally,  the  whole  row  at  once,  always 
to  the  counting  of  the  teacher — "one,  two, 
throw." 

Again  forming  four  rows,  the  children  in 
the  first  row  toss  up  and  catch,  then  throw  to 
the  second  row,  then  to  the  third,  then  to  the 
fourth,  accompanying  the  exercise  Avith  count- 
ing as  before,  or  with  singing,  as  soon  as  this 
can  lie  done. 

For  a  further  variety,  the  balls  are  thrown 
upon  the  floor,  and  caught,  as  they  rebound, 
with  the  right  hand  or  the  left  hand,  or  with 
the  hand  inverted,  or  they  may  be  sent  back 
to  the  floor  several  times  before  catching. 

Throwing  the  balls  against  the  wall,  tossing 
them  into  the  air  and  many  other  exercises 
may  be  introduced  whenever  the  balls  are  used, 
and  will  always  serve  to  interest  the  children. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  have  every  movement 
performed  in  perfect  order,  and  that  every 
child  take  part  in  all  the  exercises  in  its  turn. 

At  the  close  of  every  ball  play,  the  children 
occupy  their  original  places  marked  on  the 
floor,  the  balls  are  collected  by  one  or  two  of 
the  older  pupils,  and  after  this  has  been  done, 
each  child  takes  the  hand  of  its  opposite  neigh- 
bor, and  bowing,  says,  "good  morning,"  when 
they  march  by  twos,  accompanied  by  music, 
once  or  twice  through  the  hall,  and  then  to 
their  seats  for  other  occupation. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


Frosbel  originally  intended  this  gift  for  use 
in  the  nursery  when  the  little  one  was  under 
the  direct  guidance  of  his  mother,  and  for  such 
use  it  is  admirably  adapted.  It  is  probably 
for  this  reason  that  so  little  was  made  of  this 
gift  by  Prof.  Wiebe,  who  was  writing  for  chil- 
dren of  older  years,  such  as  were  supposed  to 


be  in  the  American  kindergartens  twenty-five 
years  ago ;  but  at  the  present  time  very  much 
more  is  made  of  it,  and  its  possibilities  are 
great.  As  a  part  of  the  system  it  has  its  place 
in  the  kindergarten  of  to-day,  being  invalua- 
ble, inasmuch  as  it  teaches  color,  form  and 
motion.     While  from  the  following  series  of 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


81 


exercises  we  can  only  hint  at  the  endless  va- 
riety of  games  and  songs  that  may  be  given 
to  the  children  in  making  relations  with  this 
gift,  the  ingenuity  of  the  kindergartner  will 
suggest  much  by  which  the  six  soft  balls  of 
the  first  gift  may  be  introduced  as  preliminary 
to  the  solid  forms  of  the  second  gift.  If  the 
child  has  had  no  nursery  training  with  the 
balls,  only  one  should  be  given  at  a  time,  red 
being  usually  chosen.  When  the  red  ball  has 
been  fully  introduced  and  the  child  has  played 
with  it  in  a  rhythmical  way  until  perfect  sym- 
pathy is  established  between  him  and  his  play- 
thing, another  may  be  given,  and  so  on. 
GENERAL  IMPRESSION. 
The  kindergartner  shows  the  ball  and  intro- 
duces her  observations  with  some  fitting  words, 
as  : — 

How  pretty  is  the  ball, 
Now  please  look  at  it  all ! 
While  she  distributes  the  balls  to    the     chil- 
dren, who  hold  both  hands  to  receive  one,  she 
sings  : — 

First  open  hands  and  take  the  ball, 
Then  close  the  little  lingers  all. 
Then  let  each  child  open  his  hands  and  place 
the  ball  before  him  on  the  table  ;  call  attention 
to  it  by  saving  : — 

This  ball  of  bright  and  colored  wool, 
It  looks  so  very  beautiful. 
Examine  it,  how  neat,  how  clean, 
So  should  a  child  be  ever  seen. 
Ask  the  children  if   they  can   tell  you   any- 
thing about  the  ball.      Due  will  answer,  "It  is 
soft;"  "it  is  rough;"   "it  is  elastic;"  "it  will 
roll."  etc.      Then   there   is  something  to    tell 
them  about  the  rubber  tree  and  an  experience 
to  gain  with  every  moment  during  which  the 
balls  are  used. 

Ask  the  children  to  rock  their  balls  to  sleep, 
making  a  cradle  of  the  hands,  and  singing: — 
Our  balls  are  going  to  Bye-low-land, 
Going  to  sleep  in  each  child's  hand, 
Rock  them  so  gently  to  and  fro, 
Our  little  balls  to  sleep  must  go. 
— or — 
A  little  ball  is  lying  here 

So  quietly  asleep, 
And  as  I  rock  it  to  and  fro 
A  loving  watch  I'll  keep. 
Then,  if   it   is  not  yet  time  to  put  the  balls 
away,  sing  ; — 

It  likes  now  to  be  moving, 
Moving,  roving,  moving,  roving, 
Moving,  roving  so. 
Accompany  the    song  by  passing  the    ball 
from  one  hand  to  the  other,   keeping  lime   to 


the  music,  which  should  always  be  strougly 
marked  for  }Toung  children.  Nothing  is  more 
harmonious  or  helpful  in  a  kindergarten  than 
to  get  hands  and  feet  accustomed  to  rhythmi- 
cal motions,  hi  distributing,  if  preferred,  the 
balls  may  be  called  flowers,  as  :— 

These  flowers  are  so  bright  and  fair, 
Please  handle  them  with  tender  care: 
And  as  I  pass  them  to  you  all, 
Take  care  they  do  not  break  or  fall. 
The  balls  may  be  flowers  that  are  sleeping, 
and  the  ehildran's  hands  the  covers  ;  let  some 
child  go  around  to  awaken  the  flowers.     Then 
the  balls  may  be  leaves  on  the  trees  and  drop 
quietly   down,    the  children  tising  their  arms 
held  above  thsir  heads  for  the  branches.    Again, 
they  may  be  birds,   frogs,   fishes,   fruit,  snow- 
balls to  be  made  and  thrown  up  and  caught ;  al- 
so gifts  and  decorations  for  a  Christmas  tree, 
some  child  representing  the  tree. 

These    are  but  a  few  suggestions  as  to  the 

various  purposes  for  which  the  balls  are  used. 

When  it  is  time  to  put  the  balls  away, sing  : — 

My  ball  lies  in  its  little  bed, 
So  quiet  and  so  still ; 
I'll  gently  rock  it  to  and  fro, 
And  hush  it  well,  I  will. 
COLOR. 
Hold  up  the  ball  and  ask  the  children   what 
color    it  is,  then  to  find  something  in  the  room 
or  upon  themselves  of  the  same  color,  and  when 
they  have  found   several  red  things,  give  the 
name  red  ;   but  do  not  give  the  name  until  they 
have  watched  the  color  and   proved  that  they 
have  experienced  the  sensation.      In  teaching 
the  other   prismatic   colors   in  these  exercises, 
observe  the  same  caution — let  the    sensation 
conic  before  the  name.      Children    in  private 
kindergartens  usually  know  the   names  of  the 
colors. 

"Do  you  remember  what  we  played  in  the 
ring?  'Johnny  likes  to  wander.'  Now  we  will 
let  the  red  balls  wander  just  as  Johnny  did." 
Give  a  red  ball  to  each  child  next  to  you,  and 
after  it  has  passed  two  or  three  children  start 
another,  and  so  on.      Sing  : — 

The  red  ball  loves  to  wander 
From  one  child  to  another, 
And  to  each  one  will  say  'Good  Day." 
(repeat  last  line.) 

"When  Mr.  Red  Ball  is  tired  we  will  gently 
place  him  on  the  table  and  let  him  rest,  while 
we  bring  from  the  box  one  of  his  brothers.  It 
is  the  color  of  a  round,  juicy  fruit.  Yes,  it  is 
the  color  of  the  orange,   and  we  will  let  the 


82 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


orange  balls  wander."  Compare  real  oranges 
with  it,  and  let  the  children  find  orange-colored 
objects  to  match  the  orange  ball. 

After  each  game  let  the  children  do  just  what 
the  ball  has  done.  At  the  end  of  any  regular 
exercise  let  the  children  choose  any  of  the 
games  they  have  played.  It  is  well  to  let  them 
glue  red  autumn  leaves  or  red  kindergarten 
papers  on  a  circular  piece  of  cardboard,  either 
white  or  black,  twelve  or  fourteen  inches  in 
diameter.  A  clearer  impression  of  form  as  well 
as  of  color  will  be  made  if  the  form  is  varied 
with  the  color,  using  for  instance,  around  chart 
for  red,  square  for  orange,  oblong  for  yellow, 
triangular  for  green,  pentagonal  for  blue, 
hexagonal  for  violet  and  octagonal  for  all  the 
colors.  These  can  be  fastened  upon  the  wall 
in  prismatic  order. 

Give  each  child  two  round  papers  of  the  same 
color.  Let  the  children  come  one  by  one  and  find 
a  ball  like  their  papers.  Pin  the  papers  on  the 
halls  for  wings,  then  let  the  children  watch  to 
see  which  bird  Hies  up  from  the  teacher's  lap, 
and  direct  those  who  have  the  same  color,  to 
let  theirs  fly  at  the  same  time,  singing  : — 
"Up,  up  in  the  sky." 
Down  goes  the  little  bird  out  of  sight  and  a 
new  bird  Hies  into  the  air.  "Now  take  off  the 
wings  of  your  bird  and  they  will  be  little  hulls 
again.  Roll  them  to  me,  and  we  will  let  the 
yellow  balls  wander.  Find  other  yellow  things 
about  the  room.  What  have  you  seen  that  is 
yellow?  Count  the  yellow  halls." 

If  in  private  work  the  kindergartner  finds 
herself  with  children  five  years  old  it  may  be 
better  to  use  the  more  mature  game  of  fruit  sell- 
ing. A  bunch  of  balls  is  held  up  and  the  chil- 
dren allowed  to  name  each  one,  as, red  cherries, 
3?ellow  lemons,  green  apples,  etc.,  these  an- 
swers being  drawn  from  the  children.  Then 
a  child  goes  down  between  the  tables  or  around 
the  circle  to  sell  the  fruit,  singing  alone  or 
with  the  teacher  : — 

Cherries  ripe,  cherries  ripe, 
Who  will  buy  my  cherries  ripe? 
and  is  answered  by  the  children  singing : — 
Cherries  ripe,  cherries  ripe, 
We  will  buy  your  cherries  ripe. 
Meanwhile  they   hold  out  their  hands  to  re- 
ceive the  ball,  which  the  child  gives  to  any  one 
he  pleases  ;  the  one  who  receives  the  ball  holds 
it  up  and  then  puts  it  out  of  sight.     An  orange 
ball  is  sold  by  another  child  in  the  same  way 
as  he  sings  : — 


Oranges  ripe,  oranges  ripe, 
Who  will  buy  my  oranges  ripe? 

A  yellow  ball  can  represent  lemons,  with  the 
song,  "Lemons  ripe,"  etc.,  a  green  ball  being 
used  for  apples,  while  the  group  is  singing  "Ap- 
ples green,"  and  so  on.  Then  some  child  is 
sent  to  ask  for  the  red  ball,  another  for  the 
orange,  another  for  the  yellow,  etc.  This  ex- 
ercise trains  the  attention  and  memory  and 
teaches  the  children  to  make  comparisons.  For 
example  :  The  red  ball  is  like  the  cherry,  the 
orange  ball  is  like  an  orange,  the  yellow  like  a 
bird,  the  green  like  the  leaves. 

Repeat  these  games  and  let  each  child  have 
several  counters  for  money,  and  come  and  buy 
a  ball  of  the  same  color  as  the  money.  Or 
for  an  occupation  to  develop  color, hold  the  balls 
before  the  children  and  let  them  each  select  the 
color  they  like  best.  After  making  a  choice 
give  them  a  piece  of  paper  of  that  color,  also  a 
needle  and  thread.  Ask  them  to  hold  the 
bright  face  of  the  paper  toward  them  and  put 
the  needle  right  through  the  middle  ;  then  give 
each  child  a  straw  and  tell  them  to  put  their 
needle  through  the  hole,  then  through  another 
piece  of  paper,  and  so  on  until  a  long  chain  is 
made.  These  may  be  used  for  necklaces,  or 
decorations  for  the  room,  etc. 

For  the  older  children  the  balls  ma}7  be  placed 
in  a  circle  on  the  table  and  a  game  of  hiding  the 
balls  played.  Let  some  child  close  his  eyes, 
and  when  a  ball  is  taken  away,  have  the  chil- 
dren sing  : — 

Now  toll  little  playmate, 
Who  has  gone  from  our  ring  ; 
And  if  you  guess  rightly, 
We'll  clap  :i<  we  sing. 

If  the  child  can  tell  on  opening  his  eyes  which 
ball  is  missing,  whether  the  red,  orange,  violet, 
etc.,  the  children  clap  their  hands,  at  the  same 
time  singing,  la-la-la.  This  game  can  be  in- 
troduced by  playing  with  a  group  of  six  chil- 
dren instead  of  six  balls,  and  is  afterward 
played  with  all  the  children  in  the  ring. 

The  balls  may  be  different  flowers  and  the 
table  a  garden.  Interest  the  children  by  show- 
ing them  some  real  flowers,  and  talking  about 
them.  Ask  the  children  if  the}'  can  name  the 
flowers,  then  suggest  the  idea  that  they  use  the 
balls  for  flowers,  and  the  table  for  a  garden 
and  have  just  such  pretty  flowers  growing  in 
their  beds. 

Gather  the  balls  in  a  bunch  and  holding  them 
up  ask  which  they  will  use  for  geraniums,  which 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


83 


for  marigolds,  which  for  yellow  roses,  green 
buds,  forget-me-nots  and  violets,  letting  each 
child  pick  out  the  flower  and  the  ball  corre- 
sponding to  it  in  color. 

Give  each  child  the  choice  of  the  flower 
which  he  would  like  in  his  garden  and  if  the 
smaller  children  cannot  tell  it  by  the  name, 
have  them  point  it  out  among  the  real  flowers. 
Let  their  hands  lie  used  as  a  cover  for  the 
flowers  and  when  they  have  placed  them  on 
the  table  with  the  palms  downward,  suggest 
that  they  go  to  sleep, as  the  little  flowers  when 
planted  in  their  beds  will  want  to  sleep  soundly 
until  it  is  warm  enough  to  throw  off  their  covers 
and  creep  out.  The  children  may  then  see  if 
they  have  in  their  garden  the  kind  of  flower 
which  they  have  chosen. 

When  all  eyes  are  closed  place  the  ball  which 
is  the  color  of  the  flower  chosen  under  their 
hands.  While  the  little  plants  are  kept  snug 
and  warm  have  the  children  make  a  little  rain 
shower  with  the  other  hand.  Down  the  rain- 
drops gently  patter,  whispering  to  the  sleeping 
flowers  that  it  is  time  to  awaken  from  their  long 
nap.  "Let  us  see  if  the  violets  in  our  gar- 
dens have  heard  the  gentle  call  of  the  rain  drops 
and  are  going  to  creep  out."  Hold  up  the  real 
violet  that  the  sense  impression  of  violet  may 
accompany  the  words.  And  presently  the  vio- 
let balls  begin  to  throw  off  their  covers  and 
peep  out  and  with  the  string  held  close  to  the 
ball  are  slowly  raised  while  the  teacher  sings  : — 

Oh,  lovely  little  violet, 
I  pray  you,  tell  me,  dear, 

Why  you  appear  so  early, 
Ere  other  flowers  are  here. 

The  children  with  the  violet  balls  answer  : — 

Because  I  am  so  tiny, 

In  early  May  come  I, 
If  I  conic  with  the  others, 

I  fear  you'd  pass  me  by. 

(Miss  Jenks  ''Song  and  Games.") 

When  all  the  violets  are  in  bloom  let  them 
bend  and  nod  and  whisper  to  each  other,  while 
the  sunbeams  speak  to  the  other  flowers. 

Some  child  is  chosen  for  the  sunbeam,  and 
flits  from  flower  to  flower,  touching  them  softly 
and  as  they  awaken  one  by  one,  the  real  flowers 
are  held  up  that  the  balls  may  peep  out  and 
grow  up  in  the  same  way  as  before.  If  some 
are  still  sleeping  another  child  is  chosen  for 
the  sunbeam,  and  when  the  garden  is  full  of 
flowers  ask  the  children  if  they  would  like  to 
make  them  into  bouquets.     Have  one  child  take 


his  violet  and  find  all  its  little  sisters  and  make 
a  bouquet  of  violets.  Another  child  is  chosen 
to  secure  a  bunch  of  marigolds  ;  and  when  the 
roses,  buds, geraniums,  and  forget-me-nots  are 
all  gathered  the  game  may  be  repeated.  This 
time,  however,  have  all  the  flowers  bloom  out 
together,  and  as  they  are  growing  up,  sing  the 
second  verse  of  ''The Little  Plant"  from  Emilie 
Poulsson's  Finger  Plays. 

Choose  different  children  to  gather  the  flow- 
ers this  time,  and  make  them  into  a  wreath. 
Ask  the  children  for  the  different  flowers  and 
as  the  balls  are  handed  to  you  one  by  one, 
open  the  double  string  and  loop  it  over  the  next 
ball  and  so  on  until  the  wreath  is  complete. 
One  advantage  of  introducing  more  than  one 
game  is  that  of  giving  the  children  the  favor 
of  choosing.  This  should  be  done  impartially 
and  the  dull,  inactive  children  should  be  drawn 
out  in  the  same  way.  The  teacher  should  gen- 
tly insist  on  their  choosing,  and  the  feeling 
that  their  choice  guides  the  play  of  the  others 
draws  them  out  of  their  isolation  into  the  sun- 
shine of  companionship.  These  little  things  in 
the  hands  of  a  skilled  kindergartner  who  is 
working  from  the  standpoint  of  the  child  to  de- 
velop his  whole  being,  may  prevent  much  that 
is  morbid  and  harmful.  The  ball  is  to  him  a 
bird,  a  flower,  sometimes  it  tells  one  story  to 
the  child  and  sometimes  another  ;  it  is  a  living, 
cherished  playfellow,  and  gradually  its  quali- 
ties are  mastered  and  found  in  other  things. 
Thus  the  ball  becomes  a  starting  point  for  a 
vigorous  and  wholesome  exercise  of  memory 
and  imagination,  aud  the  insight  of  the  child 
is  quickened  aud  extended. 

FOEM. 

Call  attention  to  the  roundness  of  the  ball 
by  saying  : — 

Look  at  the  ball  from  left  to  right, 
You'll  see  the  same  appearance  quite; 

'Tis  round,  aud  turn  it  as  you  will 
You'll  see  the  same  appearance  still. 

Have  the  children  go  through  the  movements 
and  then  ask  them  to  name  other  round  objects. 
A  suitable  story  or  song  may  be  brought  in. 
The  ball  being  an  unseparated  whole,  conveys 
the  idea  of  unity,  and  may  represent  the  world, 
an  apple,  a  wheel,  bird's  nest,  etc. 

Although  form  is  very  little  emphasized  in  this 
gift, the  child's  observation  is  gained  by  calling 
attention  to  its  shape  and  color, and  his  activity 
called  forth  by  simple  exercises, while  his  moral 


84 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


faculty  is  'being  developed,  and  his  intelligence 
opened  to  comprehend  the  law  underlying  all 
life  as  it  exists  externally,  namely,  that  all 
the  diversity  of  external  phenomena  returns  to 
and  rests  in  that  which  is  itself  a  complete 
whole. 

MOTION. 

No  other  quality  appeals  more  strongly  to 
young  children  than  motion, which  is  one  of  the 
chief  characteristics  of  this  gift.  While  every 
muscle  receives  exercise  and  strength,  force 
and  energy  are  developed,  and  with  the  alum- 
dance  of  matter  which  comes  under  the  notice 
of  the  kindergartner  it  will  he  easy  for  her  to 
introduce  new  observations.  Wind  the  string 
around  the  ball  and  roll  one  to  each  child  and 
let  the  children  tell  the  color  as  the  ball  rolls. 
-What  did  the  1  »alls  do  ?"  They  rolled.  "Would 
you  like  to  hear  a  song  about  rolling?" 

Roll  over,  come  back  here 

So  merry  and  free, 

My  playfellow  dear 

Who  shares  in  my  glee. 
Let  the  children  on  one  side  roll  to  the  chil- 
dren on  the  other  or  place  the  hands  a  foot  and 
a  half  apart  and  throw  the  ball  from  one  to  the 
other,   singing ;  — 

The  hall  desires  to  wander, 

To  fly  across  to  yonder 

Right,  left— right,  left. 
Regulate  the  rolling  by  the  motion  of  the 
hand  or  by  the  rhythm  of  the  song.  At  the 
end  of  the  exercise  let  the  children  play  the 
balls  are  marbles  and  roll  down  the  length  of 
the  table,  telling  the  color  of  the  one  they  hit. 
Roll  again,  this  time  at  word  of  command : 
"One,  two,  three,  roll!"  Vary  the  counting  in 
order  to  exercise  and  develop  attention,  and 
let  each  child  roll  to  counting,  as  this  exercise 
results  in  training  the  hand  and  eye,  and  also 
develops  color  as  well  as  attention. 

Let  the  child  take  the  ball  in  both  hands  and 
drop  it  into  the  hands  of  the  next  child,  held 
together  to  receive  it.  Sing  from  Miss  Jenk's 
book  : — 

Little  ball,  pass  along. 
Slyly  on  your  way  ; 

While  we  sing  a  merry  song, 
You  must  never  stay, 

'Till  at  last  the  song  is  done, 
Then  we'll  try  to  find 

In  what  pair  of  little  hands, 
You've  been  left  behind. 

Older  children  may  pass  the  ball  by  taking 
it  in  one  hand,  passing  it  to  the  other  and  from 
that  placing  it  in  the  nearest  hand  of  the  next 


child,  -who  repeats  the  same  movements.  These 
movements  require  care  and  attention  and  pro- 
vide good  exercise,  but  are  too  hard  for  very 
young  children  ;  for  if  they  are  attempted  they 
should  be  done  exactly  right,  as  indeed  should 
every  exercise  in  the  kindergarten.  Accuracy 
rightly  developed  does  not  interfere  with  the 
spirit  of  play  which  should  be  kept.  Children 
love  to  do  things  accurately  if  the  requirement 
is  suited  to  their  capacity,  and  the  kindergart- 
ner has  the  right  spirit.  Tins  exactness  in  little 
things  lays  the  foundation  for  habits  that  are 
of  great  value. 

Let  the  balls  hop  from  one  hand  (the  nest) 
upon  the  table  and  sing,  "Hopping  Birds." 
Teach  direction  by  showing  how  we  make  the 
ball  sink  and  rise.  "How  does  it  go?"  Ask 
the  children  to  tell  something  that  moves  up 
and  down,  as  elevator,  window,  curtain,  etc.,, 
and    sing  : — 

Ball  is  sinking  downward, 

Rising  up  again, 

Sinking,  rising, 

See  how  the  ball  sinks  and  rises. 
— or — 

My  ball  comes  up  to  meet  me, 

Then  down  it  goes  so  fleetly 
In  the  air,  oh,  hurrah  ! 
In  the  air,  oh,  hurrah  ! 
Hold  the  ball  in  one  hand,  so  that  the  string 
makes  a  vertical  line.      Notice    things  in  the 
room  whose  position  is  upright,  legs  of  piano, 
edge  of  door,  etc. 

Tell  the  children  about  carrier  pigeons,  how 
they  carry  letters  tied  under  their  wings.    Not 
a  whole  bag  full,  like  the  postman,  but  just  one. 
Some  one  ties  it  under  the  wing  and  then  they 
fly  up  high  and  go  a  long  way  and  take  it  to  the 
right  place.     Before  this  exercise  let  the  chil- 
dren play   "See  our  pretty  birdie  fly,"  in   the 
ring  and  let  them  now  play  this  with  their  balls. 
Let  the  ball  fly  in  the  air  and  then  alight  on 
the  table  before  them.      "What  kind  of  a  bird 
is  it?"  Robin  Redbreast,  Oriole,  Canary,  Par- 
rot,  Bluebird,  according  to  color.   Sing:   "Lit- 
tle bird,  you  are  welcome."     Let  the  balls  of 
all  colors  fly  up  and  then  come  to  rest.     Make 
a  nest  with  both  hands  and  sing  : — 
Up,  up  in  the  sky  the  little  birds  fly. 
Down,  down  in  the  nest,  the  little  birds  rest. 
With  a  wing  on  the  left  and  a  wing  on  the  right, 
These  dear  little  birdies  are  all  safe  for  the  night. 

Recall  songs  of  previous  exercises,  and  let 
the  children  choose  which  they  like.  Notice 
what  they  choose  and  develop  conversation 
through  songs  and  games.     Ask  the  children 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


85 


how  else  or  in  what  other  direction  the  balls 
move.  Introduce  hack  and  front  movement,  sing- 
ing "The  Pendulum,"  and  let  the  children  play 
it.  Ask  them  to  show  3rou  with  their  1  >alls  how 
the  clock  goes.  "What  does  it  say?"  Tick, 
tack.  "Would yon  like  to  sing  about  theclock  ?" 
Teach  and  sing  :  '"Come  and  see"  or  "To  and 
Fro,"  the  children  singing  "tick,  tack,"  only,  if 
they  cannot  sing  words  readily .  "Can  you  make 
your  arms  go  like  the  pendulum  ?  Let  us  make 
our  arms  go  to  the  right,  tick — to  the  left, 
tack,  etc.  Now  make  the  balls  swing  right, 
left,  tick,  tack.  Hold  the  string  from  left  to 
right.  How  does  t  he  edge  of  the  tal  >le  go  ?"  Left 
to  right.  Froebel  says  :  "Direction  should  be 
rooted  in  motion."  That  is,  the  vertical  move- 
ment should  precede  the  vertical  line  and  the 
horizontal  movement  the  horizontal  line. 

Now  bring  out  front  and  back  movement  and 
sing  : — 

Now  ball  swing  to  and  fro, 
More  gently,  soft  and  slow, 
But  far  away,  you  cannot  stay 
While  swinging  to  and  fro. 
— or — 
Bim  bom,  bim  bom. 
So  the  bells  swing  in  the  steeple, 
Call  to  church  the  kind  good  people. 
Bim  bom,  bim  bom,  bim  bom. 

Let  the  children  merely  sing  "Bim,  bom." 
*  'Canyon  make  your  arm  go  like  the  bell  ?  What 
kind  of  bells  have  you  heard  ?  What  do  the 
great  church  bells  say  ?"  Hold  the  ball  in  one 
hand  and  the  end  of  the  string  in  the  other. 
"How  does  the  string  go?"  Back  and  front. 

Ask  the  children  if  they  would  like  their  balls 
to  go  round  and  round.  Sing  "Round  and 
round  it  goes,"  repeating  the  first  line  of  the 
mill  wheel  in  Mrs.  Hubbard's  book  and  swing 
the  ball  round  and  round  by  the  string,  play- 
ing the  balls  are  mill  wheels.  If  the  time  has 
come  to  put  the  balls  away  sing  : — 
And  now  'tis  time  to  rest, 
You've  done  your  very  best. 


Go  sleep  dear  ball  till  next  I  eall ! 
For  now  'tis  time  to  rest. 

As  the  ball  swings  round  and  round  it  may 
represent  the  windmill.  And  in  this  way  the 
kindergartner  may  bring  in  the  action  of  the 
wind.  Ask  the  children  to  show  witli  the 
balls  and  their  hands  the  kind  of  work  which 
the  wind  does. 

Let  them  represent  the  trees,  with  the  hands 
raised  above  the  head  and  a  swaying  motion 
of  arms  and  hands  for  the  branches, which  wave 
and  bend  as  the  wind  blows. 

Suggest  that  they  show  how  the  wind  rocks 
the  bird's  nest,  which  may  lie  built  high  up  in 
the  tree- tops  where  the  little  birds  may  come. 

Let  them  choose  which  kind  of  a  bird  they 
would  like  in  their  nest,  then  with  the  fingers 
curved  upward  to  form  the  nest  swing  the  balls 
one  by  one  into  their  hands  ;  then  let  the  wind 
gently  rock  the  tree-tops  from  side  to  side  by 
a  swaying  movement  of  the  hand  from  right  to 
left,  the  ball  being  held  in  the  center  of  one 
hand  while  singing  from  Mrs.  Hailmann's 
songs : — 

In  the  tall  branch  of  the  tree-top 
There's  a  nest  snug  and  warm. 
In  it  lies  a  little  birdie, 

Safe  in  sunshine  and  in  storm,  etc. 

Let  them  show  how  the  wind  plays  with  the 
leaves,  how  it  moves  the  boats  across  the  water 
when  the  waves  are  high,  how  it  sails  the  kites, 
how  it  blows  the  clothes  on  the  line,  repre- 
senting each  movement  with  the  ball  held  in 
the  hand.  When  acting  in  unison,  the  children 
will  feel  the  harmony  of  a  movement  more 
strongly,  then  when  acting  separately ;  then 
they  enjoy  rolling  the  ball  from  one  to  the 
other,  throwing  it  up  in  the  air,  against  the 
ground  or  wall  and  catching  it,  or  by  throwing 
it  backward  and  forward  to  each  other.  These 
few  hints  will  suffice  to  enable  one  to  invent 
new  plays  and  make  suitable  variations  of 
those  here  given. 


THE  SECOND  GIFT. 


course,  without  giving 


The  Second  Gift  consists  of  a  sphere,  a 
cube  and  a  cylinder. 
These  the  teacher 
places  upon  the 
table,  together  with 
a  rubber  ball,  and 
asks  : — 

'•Which  of  these 
three  objects  looks 
most  like  the  ball?" 

The   children  will   \ 
certainly    point  out 
the    sphere,    but,    of 
its  name. 

"Of  what  is  it  made?"'  the  teacher  asks, 
placing  it  in  the  hand  of  some  pupil  or  rolling- 
it  across  the  table. 

The  answer  will  doubtless  be  "Of  wood." 
••So  we  might  call  the  object  a  wooden  hull. 
But  we  will  give  it  another  name.  We  will 
call  it  a  sphere." 

Each  child  must  here  be  taught  to  pronounce 
the  word,  enunciating  each  sound  very  dis- 
tinctly. The  ball  and  sphere  are  then  further 
compared  with  each  other  as  to  material,  color, 
weight,  etc.,  to  find  their  similarities  and  dis- 
similarities. Both  are  round ;  both  roll.  The 
ball  is  soft;  the  sphere  is  hard.  The  ball  is 
light;  the  sphere  is  heavy.  The  sphere  makes 
a  louder  noise  when  it  falls  from  the  table  than 
the  ball.  The  ball  rebounds  when  it  is  thrown 
upon  the  floor;  the  sphere  does  not.  All 
these  answers  are  drawn  out  from  the  pupils  by 
suitable  experiments  and  questions  and  every- 
one is  required  to  repeat  each  sentence  when 
fully  explained. 

The  children  then  form  a  circle,  and  the 
teacher  rolls  the  sphere  to  one  of  them,  asking 
the  child  to  stop  it  with  both  his  feet.  This 
child  then  takes  his  place  in  the  center,  and 
rolls  the  sphere  to  another  one,  who  again 
stops  it  with  his  feet,  and  so  on,  until  all  the 
children  have  in  turn  taken  their  place  in  the 
center  of  the  circle.  At  another  time,  the 
children  may  sit  in  two  rows  upon  the  floor, 
facing  each  other.  A  white  and  a  black  sphere 
are  then  given  to  the  heads  of  the  rows  who 
exchange  by  rolling  them  across  to  each  other. 
Then  the  spheres  are  rolled  across  obliquely 
to  the  second  individuals  in  the  rows.     These 


exchange  as  before,  and  then  roll  the  spheres 
to  those  who  sit  third,  and  so  on  until  they 
have  passed  throughout  the  lines  and  back 
again  to  the  head.  Both  spheres  should  be 
rolling  at  the  same  instant,  which  can  be  ef- 
fected only  by  counting  or  when  time  is  kept 
to  accompanying  music. 

Another  variety  of  play  in  the  use  of  this 
gift  consists  in  placing  the  rubber  ball  at  a 
distance  on  the  floor,  and  letting  each  child,  in 
turn,  attempt  to  hit  it  with  the  sphere. 

For  the  purpose  of  further  instruction,  the 
sphere,  cube,  and  cylinder  are  again  placed 
upon  the  table,  and  the  children  are  asked 
to  discover  and  designate  the  points  of  re- 
semblance and  difference  in  the  first  two. 
They  will  find,  on  examination,  that  both  are 
made  of  wood,  and  of  the  same  color;  but 
the  sphere  can  roll,  while  the  cube  cannot. 
Inquire  the  cause  for  this  difference,  and  the 
answer  will,  most  likely,  be  either,  "The  sphere 
is  round,"  or  "The  cube  has  corners." 

"How  many  coiners  has  the  cube?"  The 
children  count  them,  and  reply,  "Eight." 

"If  I  put  my  linger  on  one  of  these  corners, 
and  let  it  glide  down  to  the  corner  below  it, 
(thus,)  my  linger  has  passed  along  an  edge  of 
the  cube.  How  many  such  edges  can  we  count 
on  this  cube?  I  will  let  my  finger  glide  over 
the  edges,  one  after  the  other,  and  }tou  may 
count." 

"One,  two,  three, 12." 

"Our  cube,  then,  has  eight  corners,  and 
twelve  edges.  I  will  now  show  3tou  four  cor- 
ners and  four  edges,  and  say  that  this  part  of 
the  cube,  which  is  contained  between  these  four 
corners  and  four  edges,  is  called  a  side  of  the 
cube.     Count  how  many  sides  the  cube  has." 

"One,  two,  three,  four,  five,  six." 

"Are  these  sides  all  alike,  or  is  one  small 
and  another  large?"      "They  are  all  alike." 

"Then  we  may  say  that  our  cube  has  six 
sides,  all  alike,  and  that  each  side  has  four 
edges,  all  alike.  Each  of  these  sides  of  the 
cube  is  called  a  square." 

To  explain  the  cylinder,  a  conversation  like 
the  following  may  take  place.  It  will  be  ob- 
served that  instruction  is  here  given  mainly  by 
comparison,  which  is,  in  fact,  the  only  philo- 
sophical method. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


87 


The  sphere,  cube,  and  cylinder  are  placed 
together  as  before,  in  the  presence  of  the  chil- 
dren. They  readily  recognize  and  name  the 
first  two,  but  are  in  doubt  about  the  third, 
whether  it  is  a  barrel  or  a  wheel.  They  may 
be  suffered  to  indulge  their  fancy  for  awhile 
in  finding  a  name  for  it,  but  are,  at  last,  told 
that  it  is  a  cylinder,  and  are  taught  to  pro- 
nounce the  word  distinctly  and  accurately. 

"What  do  you  see  on  the  cylinder  which  you 
also  see  on  the.  cube?"  ''The  cylinder  has  two 
sides."  "Are  the  sides  square,  like  those  of 
the  cube?"     "They  are  not." 

"But  the  cylinder  can  stand  on  these  sides 
just  as  the  cube  can.  Let  us  see  if  it  cannot 
roll,  too,  as  the  sphere  does.  Yes  !  it  rolls  ; 
but  not  like  the  sphere,  for  it  can  roll  only  in 
two  ways,  while  the  sphere  can  roll  any  way. 
So,  you  see,  the  sphere,  cube,  and  cylinder  are 
alike  in  some  respects,  and  different  in  others. 
Can  you  tell  me  in  what  respects  they  are  just 
alike?" 

"They  are  made  of  wood  ;  are  smooth  ;  are 
of  the  same  color ;  are  heavy  ;  make  a  loud 
noise  when  they  fall  on  the  floor." 

These  answers  must  be  drawn  out  by  ex- 
periments with  the  objects,  and  by  questions, 
logically  put,  so  as  to  lead  to  these  results  as 
natural  conclusions.  The  exercise  may  be  con- 
tinued, if  desirable,  by  asking  the  children  to 
name  objects  which  look  like  the  sphere,  cube, 
or  cylinder.  The  edge  of  a  cube  may  also  be 
explained  as  representing  a  straight  line.    The 


point  where  two  or  three  lines  or  edges  meet 
is  called  a  corner;  the  inner  point  of  a  corner 
is  an  angle,  of  which  each  side,  or  square,  of 
the  cube  has  four.  To  sum  up  what  has  al- 
ready been  taught  :  The  cube  has  six  sides, 
or  squares,  all  alike  ;  eight  corners  and  twelve 
edges  ;  and  each  side  of  the  cube  has  four 
edges,  all  alike  ;  four  corners,  and  four  angles. 

The  sphere,  cube,  and  cylinder,  when  sus- 
pended by  a  double  thread,  can  be  made  to 
rotate  around  themselves,  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  that  the  sphere  appeal's  the  same  in 
form  in  whatever  manner  we  look  at  it;  that 
the  cube  when  rotating,  (suspended  at  the 
center  of  one  of  its  sides,)  shows  the  form 
of  the  cylinder;  and  that  the  cylinder,  when 
rotating,  (suspended  at  the  center  of  its  round 
side,)  presents  the  appearance1  of  a  sphere. 

Thus,  there  is,  as  it  were,  an  inner  triunity 
in  these  three  objects — sphere  contained  in 
cylinder,  and  cylinder  in  cube,  the  cylinder 
forming  the  mediation  between  the  two  others, 
or  the  transition  from  one  to  the  other.  Al- 
though the  child  may  not  be  told,  the  teacher 
may  think,  in  this  connection,  of  the  natural 
law,  according  to  which  the  fruit  is  contained 
in  the  fkrwer,  the  flower  is  hidden  in  the  bud. 

Suspended  at  other  points,  cylinder  and  cube 
present  other  forms,  all  of  which  are  interest- 
ing for  the  children  to  look  at,  and  can  be 
made  instructive  to  their  young  minds,  if  ac- 
companied by  apt  conversation  on  the  part  of 
the  teacher. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


The  second  gift  consists  of  a  box  containing 
a  sphere,  a  cube  with  staples,  and  a  cylinder, 
together  with  sticks  and  an  additional  perfectly 
plain  cube.  It  fulfills  a  varied  and  valuable 
office  in  child  education  and  has  an  individuality 
we  did  not  find  in  the  first  gift,  since  each  form 
is  distinct  from  and  unlike  the  others. 

Its  strongest  educational  value  consists  in 
the  fact  that  it  represents  the  fundamental 
forms  of  the  universe.  The  ball  is  the  sym- 
bol of  the  earth,  the  sun,  the  moon  and  all  the 
heavenly  bodies.  The  cube  symbolizes  the  min- 
eral kingdom,  and  connecting  these  is  the  cyl- 
inder, which  is  the  prevailing  type  of  animal 
and  vegetable  life. 

We  find  the  sphere  of  this  gift  resembles  the 
soft   ball  in  form,    and  in  many  things  which 


the  ball  can  do,  but  it  has  additional  powers  ; 
it  can  speak  to  us  and  is  permanent  in  form 
and  material. 

Of  this  gift  every  child  should  have  a  full 
set,  and  as  the  sphere,  cube  and  cylinder  form 
a  whole,  they  should  be  presented  as  a  whole 
to  the  child,  though  in  the  beginning  they 
may  be  given  to  him  singty.  The  ball  is  first 
offered  him.  The  child  recognizes  his  old 
playfellow  and  his  first  thought  will  be  that  he 
has  another  ball,  because  the  similar  form  will 
attract  his  attention. 

This  is  right  and  will  be  found  to  be  one  of 
the  principles  in  Frcebel's  system.  A  similar- 
ity with  the  previous  steps  may  always  be  ob- 
served, and  this  gives  each  new  step  the  claim 
of  an  old  friend,  enlisting   feeling  as   well  as 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


thought,  while  presenting  something  in  advance. 
The  child  will  at  once  perceive,  however, 
that  the  sphere  looks,  feels  and  sounds  dif- 
ferently ;  that  it  resists  his  grasp  although  the 
woolen  ball  yielded  to  it.  Immediately  he  be- 
gins to  make  comparisons.  The  new  ball  will 
be  found,  unlike  the  previous  one,  to  be  capa- 
ble of  making  a  noise  on  the  table,  and  this 
should  not  be  repressed  too  much.  Children 
like  to  hear  sounds,  as  they  like  to  see  and 
handle  things  ;  and  although  we  have  learned  to 
discriminate  between  noise  and  music,  we  must 
remember  that  children  delight  in  noise  for  its 
own  sake  until  they  are  led  through  it  to  rhyth- 
mical sounds  and  later  to  music ;  so  a  little 
noise  on  the  table  with  the  sphere  is  legitimate 
if  it  is  not  aimless. 

the  sphere. 

The  gift  may  be  introduced  by  asking  the 
children  to  close  their  eyes  and  placing  a  sphere 
in  each  child's  hand  ask  for  a  description  be- 
fore they  open  their  eyes.  "What  is  it  like?" 
"How  does  it  feel?"  Give  them  a  ball  of  the 
first  gift  and  let  them  tell  about  both  without 
opening  the  eyes.  Then  ask  them  to  open  their 
eyes  and  tell  what  they  see.  "Why  !  that  is  a 
ball,  too."  True  enough,  but  not  like  the  other 
ball,  so  let  us  find  out  what  the  difference  is. 

Lead  the  children  to  experiment  with  the 
sphere,  play  with  it  and  tell  yon  what  they  dis- 
cover. They  will  tell  you  that  the  sphere  will 
roll,  toss,  swing,  and  that  it  does  not  easily  stand 
still.  Give  them  hard  and  soft  spheres,  smooth 
and  rough  spheres,  spheres  of  different  sizes 
and  colors  and  draw  out  their  comparisons. 

After  the  children  have  made  their  discoveries 
and  comparisons  let  them  look  about  the  room 
for  similar  forms,  and  also  ask  them  to  bring 
similar  forms  from  home.  These  lessons  on 
solid  forms  give  scope  for  much  general  in- 
formation. Little  talks  about  the  wood,  where 
it  comes  from,  etc.,  may  become  a  part  of  the 
work,  suggesting  many  pretty  songs. 

If  the  three  forms  are  brought  out  at  one  time 
they  may  be  called  three  little  frieuds  who  live 
together  in  a  long,  brown  house,  which  is  just 
large  enough  for  them  to  get  inside,  each  in  his 
own  place  and  close  the  door. 

Ask  questions  to  develop  the  children's  ideas  ; 
who  these  people  are,  what  they  are  like,  what 
they  can  do,  and  so  on.  Then  bring  the  sphere 
from  the  box.     The  first  thing  the  children  will 


want  to  do  is  to  pound  or  make  a  noise.  Do 
not  restrain  the  action  but  as  one  kindergartner 
suggests,  play  concert,  be  their  bandmaster 
:ui(l  count  for  them.  "All  lift  up  the  balls, 
one — two — knock  ;  one — two — three — knock," 
and  so  on,  putting  a  definite  thought  into  an 
indefinite  action. 

Ask  the  children  what  they  have  played  with 
the  soft  balls.  Repeat  the  games  as  the  chil- 
dren name  them,  until  they  have  thought  of 
what  the}7  played,  and  play  these  games  with 
the  sphere. 

Their  imagination  changes  the  sphere  into 
many  new  things.  It  is  the  carpenter's 
hammer  or  the  blacksmith's  sledge.  It  is  a 
swift  horse  or  a  capering  dog ;  not  now  so 
often  the  tiny  bird,  but  something  with  more 
strength  and  vigor,  yet  still  full  of  life  and 
activity. 

Let  a  sphere  run  to  Robbie;  now  one  to 
Mary.  Bring  out  the  fact  that  it  goes  over  and 
over  and  rolls  because  it  is  round.  After  having 
given  frequent  illustrations  of  the  roundness  of 
the  ball  the  name  sphere  is  introduced.  Ask 
the  children  to  name  something  that  goes  round 
and  round,  and  let  them  spin,  roll  and  swing 
the  sphere.  Notice  that  "in  every  place,  it 
always  shows  its  oue  curved  face."  Let  the 
sphere  swing  from  left  to  right,  repeating  the 
exercise  the  children  had  with  the  ball  of  the 
first  gift. 

.  Give  spheres  to  the  children  who  are  sitting  of 
one  side  of  the  table  to  roll  to  those  on  the 
other  side,  while  they  all  sing,  "Roll  over, 
come  back  here,  so  merry  and  free  ;"  or  "One, 
two,  three,  roll."  Repeat  the  songs,  letting 
some  have  the  hard  and  some  have  the  soft 
balls,  exchanging  them  so  that  each  may  have 
both  kinds.  At  the  end  of  the  exercise  com- 
pare the  two,  thus  bringing  out  the  quality  of 
sonorousness. 

They  find  in  this  gift  something  that  speaks 
to  them,  for  after  the  motion  of  au  object  the 
sound  which  it  makes  is  next  noticed  and  it  is 
this  quality  which  gives  its  special  charm  to  the 
sphere.  To  bring  out  sound  especially,  tap  the 
soft  ball  on  the  table  and  let  some  child  answer 
good  morning  to  it  and  guess  who  it  is ;  then 
tap  the  hard  ball  and  let  another  child  answer 
this  time,  and  guess  who  it  is ;  knock  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  room,  on  different  articles. 

To  connect  the  two  gifts  sing,  while  hold- 
ing the  soft  ball  by  the  string  : — 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


89 


Here's  a  little  kitty, 

Going  round  and  round  : 
She  has  cushions  on  her  feet, 

And  never  makes  a  sound. 
With  the  hard  ball  sing  : — 

Here's  a  little  pony, 

Trotting  round  and  round ; 
He  has  hoofs  upon  his  feet, 

And  stamps  upon  the  ground. 

Let  the  children  roll  in  turn  a  soft  ball  and 
the  sphere  to  hit  another  ball  at  the  end  of  the 
table.  It  will  be  enough  for  very  little  chil- 
dren to  get  an  experience  of  the  difference  in 
the  rolling  of  the  two  balls.  Older  children 
should  be  led  to  see  and  tell  you  that  it  is  be- 
cause the  sphere  is  hard  that  it  rolls  better 
than  the  ball.  This  will  make  a  foundation 
for  the  understanding  of  resistance  when  they 
study  physics.  Let  the  children  come  to  you 
and  roll  the  sphere  in  a  plate.  Sing  for  them 
"Round  I  roll  when  in  a  plate,"  then  let  them 
roll  it  along  the  length  of  the  table  and  siug  : — 
Now  along  the  table  straight, 
When  I  rest,  or  roll  or  fall, 
Always  I'm  your  little  ball. 

The  spheres  can  be  nuts  for  the  tree  and  so 
connected  with  the  winter  fireside  or  the  Christ- 
mas time.  A  little  skill  keeps  up  the  connec- 
tion with  the  special  season  of  the  year  and 
with  the  previous  work. 

In  playing  the  "Fruit  Game"  substitute  nuts 
for  the  fruit,  as  : — 

"Who  will  buy, who  will  buy, 
Who  will  buy  our  walnuts  ripe?" 

Let  the  children  sell  different  kinds  of  nuts, 
and  then  try  to  find  the  buyer,  which  gives  a 
test  of  memory,  with  no  color  to  aid,  although 
the  children  seldom  fail  to  find  them  all.  Repeat 
the  games  with  ball  and  sphere  sufficiently  often 
to  keep  the  connection.  The  number  of  times 
and  amount  of  pleasure  given  by  them  will  be 
in  proportion  to  the  interest  and  resources  of 
the  kindergartner. 

THE  CUBE. 

After  you  have  taught  all  you  can  from 
the  sphere  give  each  child  the  cube.  Some 
one  asks,  "Why  not  the  cylinder,  as  it  is  more 
like  the  ball  ?"  Because  it  is  similar  is  just 
the  reason  it  is  not  presented  next.  All  knowl- 
edge is  based  on  comparison,  but  a  compari- 
son is  not  possible  without  differences  and 
contrasts.  The  simplicity  and  unity  which 
characterize  the  sphere  are  replaced  by  variety 
and  multiplicity  in  the  cube,   and  the  decided 


contrast  between  the  two  will  give  the  child  a 
clearer  impression,  so  that  when  he  receives 
the  cube  he  will  again  make  comparisons. 

Call  for  similarities  first,  differences  after- 
ward. Both  an1  hard,  smooth,  made  of  wood, 
and  of  the  same  color.  Let  each  child  try  to 
roll  the  cube,  and  he  will  see  it  will  stand  firmly 
but  cannot  roll,  although  the  sphere  readily 
obeyed  the  slighest  impulse  to  move.  The 
cube,  standing  solidly  on  one  face  refusing  to 
roll  or  to  yield  to  anything  but  force,  opens 
a  new  world  to  him.  It  suggests  big  stones,  and 
foundations  for  ground  work.  It  is  the  type 
of  the  mineral  world  and  possesses  solidity  and 
security.  Hence  in  piling  up  the  forms  the 
child  almost  invariably  places  the  cube  at  the 
bottom,  needing  no  suggestion  as  to  its  proper 
position. 

In  comparing  the  two,  the  child  finds  that 
the  sphere  has  one  round  face,  while  the  cube 
has  many  faces  ;  that  the  cube  has  edges  and 
corners,  which  the  ball  has  not ;  the  ball  gives 
the  idea  of  motion  and  the  cube  of  rest ;  the 
ball  may  be  placed  in  a  stationary  position  at 
any  point,  the  cube  will  only  rest  on  its  faces. 

Place  a  cube  before  each  child  near  the  front 
of  the  table,  and  ask  the  children  how  many 
faces  they  see  ;  of  course  they  can  only  see  the 
one  directly  under  their  eyes.  Move  the  cube 
back  and  ask  again.  They  will  see  two  faces. 
Let  them  turn  their  heads  a  little  and  hold 
perfectly  still.  Ask  once  more  and  they  will 
say  three  faces.  Lead  them  to  realize  that 
they  can  only  see  three  faces  at  one  time.  A 
large  paper  cube  suspended  in  the  room  with 
opposite  faces  of  different  colors  will  help  the 
children  to  appreciate  this  fact.  Ask  them  to 
bring  things  into  the  kindergarten  which  are  like 
the  cube  in  form. 

Give  each  child  six  parquetry  papers,  two  of 
one  color  ;  for  instance,  two  red,  two  orange, 
two  green.  Make  the  face  of  the  cube  quite 
wet  with  a  camel's  hair  brush  and  water,  and 
let  each  child  put  on  a  red  paper.  Let  him 
find  the  opposite  side  and  put  on  the  other  red 
paper.  Put  on  the  orange  and  green  in  the 
same  way,  taking  the  faces  in  twos ;  the  upper 
and  lower  first,  then  the  front  and  back,  then 
the  right  and  left.  If  the  child  is  too  young  to 
count  the  faces  he  will  get  an  experience  of 
many  and  opposite  faces.  The  older  children 
can  count  the  faces  without  confusion, with  the 
help  of  the  opposite  color,  or  they  can  roll  the 


90 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


sphere  and  mark  with  chalk  each  one  of  the  six 
square,  flat  faces, as  they  find  and  count  them. 

Let  each  child  roll  one  sphere  in  turn  and  try 
to  strike  the  cube  at  the  other  end  of  the  table. 
"On  what  does  the  cube  stand?"  On  one  of 
its  faces.  Give  the  older  children  the  name 
flat  face  and  curved  face.  "How  many  faces 
has  the  cube?"  Six.  "How  many  faces  has 
the  sphere?"  One.  "What  kind  of  faces 
has  the  cube?"  "What  kind  of  a  face  has  the 
sphere?"  Let  each  child  come  to  you  in  turn 
and  shutting  his  eyes,  tell  by  feeling  whether 
it  is  a  curved  or  a  fiat  face  he  is  touching. 

In  the  games  the  peculiar  characteristics  of 
the  sphere  and  cube  may  be  brought  out  by 
their  movableness  and  steadfastness.  The 
directions  indicated  through  motion  in  the  first 
gift  are  here  found  to  be  permanent  in  the  faces 
and  edges  of  the  cube,  and  are  easily  recognized. 

The  cube  may  be  a  little  house  and  the 
sphere  a  little  boy  who  lives  in  it.  Let  the 
sphere  run  to  this  side  of  the  house  and  knock, 
and  now  at  this,  and  then  this,  and  this, (four 
sides).  Now  we  will  put  him  on  the  top  of 
the  house.  Then  take  the  boy  away  and  lift 
up  the  house  to  find  one  more  side.  Count  the 
sides  as  you  strike  them.  "What  else  can  we 
find  on  the  cube?"  Bring  out  corners  and 
edges  by  letting  each  child  make  a  little  dent 
on  his  hand  with  the  corner  of  the  cube,  and 
a  little  crease  with  the  edge.  Ask  the  children 
if  they  can  dent  or  crease  their  hands  with  the 
sphere.  Ask  them  to  show  you  all  the  corners 
and  edges  they  can  without  counting.  If  the 
children  are  very  young  or  very  backward  give 
them  a  clear  idea  of  corners  by  letting  a  child 
stand  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  and  give  each 
child  a  little  seed  to  put  in  the  corner  of  his 
cube,  then  one  for  the  opposite  corner,  and  so 
on.  The  six  sides,  eight  corners  and  twelve 
edges  appear  a  world  of  study  to  the  children 
and  give  the  foundation  for  number  work. 

Thus  far  the  child  has  seen  the  cube  in  a 
state  of  rest.     It  will  cause  him  more  lively 
pleasure    to  note  the  peculiarities  of  its  free 
motions.      Suspend  the  cube  and  ask  how  many 
faces  the  cube  has.     If  one  child  can  answer, 
let  him  come  up  and  spin  the  cube  while  the 
others  sing  to  the  air  of  "Be  quiet  dear  cube," 
in  Mrs.  Hubbard's  book  : — 
My  six,  square,  flat  faces  are  running  away, 
And  chasing  each  other  around  in  their  play. 
Come  back  little  faces,  come  back  and  stand  still. 
And  now  you  may  run  off  again  if  you  will. 


The  children  call  this  singing  the  cube,  and 
the  desire  to  come  up  and  spin  the  cube  stim- 
ulates them  to  make  an  effort  to  remember  the 
number  of  faces.  If  there  is  time  finish  with 
a  rolling  exercise.  This  dialogue  between  the 
cube  and  the  child  may  be  sung  for  many 
exercises  until  the  number  and  kind  of  faces 
are  firmly  fixed.  Those  children  who  do  not 
spin  the  cube  may  roll  two  spheres  along  the 
table  to  hit  the  cube. 

When    the  number  of  faces  are  fixed,  the 
corners  may  be  sung  to  the  same  tune  : — 
My  eight  little  corners  are  running  away, 
And  chasing  each  other  around  in  their  play, 
('nine  back  little  corners, come  back  and  standstill, 
And  then  you  may  run  off  again  if  you  will. 

This  rolling  may  be  used  for  several  lessons 
until  the  children  are  sure  of  the  number  of 
corners,  then  the  edges  may  be  brought  out  by 
singing,  "My  twelve  little  edges  are  running 
away,"  etc. 

While  the  sphere  always  presents  one  and 
the  same  appearance, the  cube  shows  a  marked 
difference  of  form  with  each  movement.  If  a 
string  is  fastened  to  one  corner  or  the  middle 
of  any  edge  and  the  cube  is  twirled,  it  has  the 
appearance,  viewed  from  the  side, of  a  double, 
cone,  or,  as  the  children  would  call  it,  a  top. 
When  looked  down  upon,  its  edges  and  cor- 
ners seem  to  slip  away  and  we  see  a  point  in 
the  center  surrounded  by  a  circle.  When 
whirled  from  the  center  of  a  face  the  cylin- 
drical form  is  shown, with  a  shadowy  circle  out- 
side. All  these  peculiarities  will  be  brought 
out  under  the  child's  notice  while  playing  with 
the  cube. 

THE  CYLINDER. 

When  the  wonder  and  pleasure  of  the  cube 
have  been  indulged  in  long  enough,  add  the 
cylinder,  or  as  the  children  eallit,the  "roller." 
"What  can  the  sphere  do?"  "What  can  the 
cube  do?"  "Did  you  ever  see  anything  that 
could  roll  and  stand  too  ?"  Bring  out  the  cyl- 
inder. It  may  be  introduced  as  a  cousin.  Roll 
one  to  each  child  and  let  him  tell  wherein  the 
cylinder  resembles  its  cousins.  This  form  will 
also  make  a  noise  and  is  in  color  like  the  sphere 
and  cube.  It  will  roll  like  the  ball  because  it 
has  one  round  face  ;  it  will  stand  or  rest  like 
the  cube  because  it  has  flat  faces.  While  the 
ball  rests  on  a  point,  and  the  cube  on  a  face, 
the  cylinder  can  rest  either  on  a  face  or  a  line. 
The    cylinder    has  two  curved  edges,   but  no 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


91 


corners.  Let  the  children  show  faces  and 
edges.  Roll  it  and  then  let  it  stand.  Count 
one,  two,  three,  and  let  each  child  roll  his  cyl- 
inder to  you.  Notice  flat  and  curved  faces. 
Let  the  children  show  you  a  flat  face — a  curved 
face.  ' 'How  many  flat  faces  are  there  ?"  '  'How 
many  curved  faces?"  "Can  you  put  your  fin- 
ger along  a,  liue  on  the  curved  face?"  The 
outlines  of  the  flat  faces  form  circles.  If  the 
linger  is  passed  around  the  curved  face  a  circle 
is  made,  but  by  passing  it  up  and  down  we  get 
a  straight  line. 

Let  each  child  have  a  sphere  to  compare  with 
the  cylinder.  "Can  you  find  a  straight  line  on 
the  sphere's  curved  face?"  Suggest  that  he 
close  his  eyes,  and  taking  his  finger  see  if  he 
can  tell  whether  he  is  touching  the  sphere's 
curved  face,  or  the  cylinder's  curved  face. 
Let  each  child  in  turn  roll  the  cylinder  and  ball 
to  hit  the  cube.  Ask  the  children  to  bring  things 
from  home  like  the  cylinder,  and  to  tell  all  the 
reasons  why  it  is  a  cylinder  ;  also  when  they 
bring  anything  like  the  sphere  and  cube  to  tell 
why  it  is  a  sphere  or  a  cube. 

Let  the  children  come  to  you  and  find  things 
among  those  they  have  brought,  or  that  you 
have  collected,  that  look  like  the  sphere,  the 
cube  or  the  cylinder;  also  let  the  older  chil- 
dren tell  you  what  they  can  see  from  the  win- 
dow that  is  like  either  of  these  forms. 

As  soon  as  the  child  becomes  familiar  with 
these  forms  they  will  become  to  him  types  of 
the  life  around  him.  He  is  very  quick  to  ob- 
serve how  everything  can  be  classified  under 
one  of  these  three  forms  ;  thus  the  triune  law 
of  all  growth  is  revealed  to  him,  until  gradually 
it  dawns  upon  him  that  these  objects  are  con- 
nected by  having  properties  in  common,  and 
out  of  this  feeling  develops  the  perception  of 
unity  in  the  midst  of  diversity.  As  the  cyl- 
inder seems  to  have  been  left  in  a  somewhat 
isolated  position,  it  is  well  to  attract  as  much 
attention  as  possible  to  this  object,  a  more  ex- 
tensive use  of  which,  will  be  brought  out  in 
the  fifth  gift  B. 

The  forms  of  the  second  gift  are  provided  with 
staples  in  which  strings  may  be  inserted,  and 
the  object  suspended  by  holding  the  ends  of 
the  string  between  the  thumb  and  fingers. 
Twist  the  string,  and  let  the  child  hold  it  while 
it  revolves  ;  he  will  be  delighted  to  see  one  form 
merge  into  another,  and  finally  come  back  to 
the  first  form.  By  holding  an  end  in  each  hand, 


and  skillfully  pulling  them  apart,  revolving  the 
form  as  the  string  untwists,  and  then  allowing 
the  impetus  of  the  form  to  twist   the  string  as 
it  is  slackened,  so  that  by  repeating  the  opera- 
tion a  rapid  rotary  motion  may  be   produced, 
first  in  one  direction  and  then  in  the   other, 
curious  semi-transparent  shapes  may  he  seen 
which  will  create  an    interest    in  geometrical 
forms.     The  cube  seems  to  change  into  a   cyl- 
inder, a  double  cone,  or  a  cylinder  and  wheel ; 
the  cylinder  is  a  sphere  within  a  sphere  or  a 
double  cone  in  a  sphere  and  wheel,   and  thus 
the  child  learns  that  things  in  motion  seem  very 
different  from  what  they  really  are.      Suspend 
a  cube  from  its  face  with  a  double  string  and 
spin  it.   "How  does  the  cube  look  now?"  Like 
a  cylinder  or  roller.     "Now  that  it  stops  what 
does  it  look  like?"     Like  the  cube.      "Now  it 
spins  again  ;  what  does  it  look  like?"      Sing  to 
the  tune  of  "Buy  a  broom"  : — 
()li.  say  Mr.  Cube  what  now  are  youhiding, 
What  now  are  you  hiding  this  morning  from  me? 
I'll  let  you  go  flying,and  then  I'll  lie  spying, 
What  it  is  you  are  hiding  this  morning  from  me. 
"Tis  the  roller!  'Tis  the  roller! 
'Tis  the  roller  youare  hiding  this  morning  from  me. 

Let  two  children  come  up  and  spin  the  ball, 
singing,  "Round  goes  the  ball,  but  in  every 
place."  Let  two  more  come  and  spin  the  cube, 
singing,  "Oh,  say  Mr.  Cube  what  are  you  hid- 
ing?" Let  two  more  come  and  see  what  the 
roller  hides.      Sing  : — 

Here   the  roller  comes  with  its  faces  three, 
la-la-la-la-la. 

He  is  just  as  sober  as  he  can  be, 
la-la-la-la-la. 

But  when  he  is  whirling,  his  faces  grow  thin, 

And  show  the  little  hard  ball  within, 
la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. 
(Thismay  be  sung  to  "Vive  la  Companee,"  a  col- 
lege song.) 

If  the  cylinder  is  twirled  from  the  middle 
of  a  curved  face,  a  ball  is  seen  with  a  shadowy 
rim  around  it.  If  twirled  from  the  middle  of 
a  flat  face,  a  double  cone  appears,  when  viewed 
from  the  side  ;  when  looked  down  upon,  a  ball 
flattened  at  the  top,  accompanied  by  a  shadowy 
rim  is  seen.  If  twirled  from  the  edge  of  a  flat 
face  a  cone  appears  from  the  side,  a  ball  from 
above.  Thus  the  ball  is  seen  in  the  cylinder, 
the  cylinder  in  the  tube,  and  the  double  cone  in 
both  cube  and  cylinder.  This  finding  of  one 
form  within  another  brings  out  the  unity  of  the 
second  gift. 

Instead  of  using  the  double  string  a  rod  may 
be  passed  through  the  holes  in  the  cylinder  and 


92 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


cube.  Have  the  rod  bluntly  pointed  at  both 
ends,  and  with  one  end  on  the  table,  hold  the 
top  end  with  the  finger  resting  on  it,  and  im- 
part a  rotary  motion  to  the  form  by  impulses 
from  the  finger  of  the  other  hand.  Several  of 
these  forms  are  shown  in  Figs.  1-5. 

Fig.  1,  represents  the  cube  with  the  :ixis 
through  the  center  of  opposite  faces. 

Fig.  2,  the  cube  with  the  axis  through  diag- 
onally opposite  corners. 


This  gift  proves  most  instructive  if  the  sphere, 
cylinder  and  cube  are  given  all  at  once.  They 
may  be  placed  side  by  side,  or  as  in  Fig.  (i. 
producing  a  column,  which  arrangement  is  em- 
bodied in  the  two  Froebel  memorial  stones. 


Fig.  1.  Fig.  2.  Fig.  3. 

Fig.  3,  the  cube  as  rotated  on  an  axis  pass- 
ing through  the  centers  of  two  diagonally  op- 
posite edges. 


Fig.  4.  Fig.  5. 

Fig.  4,  shows  the  cylinder  as  being  rotated 
on  a  rod  perpendicular  to  the  center  of  its  natu- 
ral axis. 

Fig.  5,  represents  the  rotating  cylinder  with 
the  axis  diagonally  through  from  edge  to  edge. 
An  interest  in  form  inspired  in  this  way,  may 
lead  to  later  investigation  into  the  mysteries  of 
the  sciences, results  of  which  eternity  alone  can 
measure.  Do  not  make  the  child  weary  with  this 
gift.  Rolling  the  ball  and  cylinder  may  always 
be  brought  in  to  relieve  monotony  if  necessary. 

A  sequence  of  lessons  on  bread-making  may 
be  given,  after  the  child  has  become  familiar 
with  various  seeds  and  the  processes  of  plough- 
ing, planting,  reaping,  etc.,  until  finally  the 
baker  makes  the  bread  ;  the  sphere,  cube  and 
cylinder  playing  their  part  as  raindrops,  store- 
house, seeds,  plough,  mill  wheels,  flour  barrel, 
rolling  pin  and  other  well-known  forms. 


Fig.   6. 

After  the  three  forms  have  been  enjoyed  to- 
gether place  them  in  the  box  which  may  be 
given  to  the  children  and  much  pleasure  derived 
from  its  examination.  The  shape  of  the  box 
will  be  noticed,  and  the  different  ways  of  plac- 
ing it,  so  that  the  length  will  be  from  back 
to  front,  from  right  to  left,  and  up  and  down. 
But  the  height  of  joy  is  in  the  possession  of 
such  treasures  as  lie  in  the  box.  The  friends 
he  has  known  so  intimately  lie  there  together, 
the  ball  alwa3Ts  at  the  "door  end,"  as  he  calls 
it,  of  the  box,  which  should  always  be  placed 
at  the  right  hand,  the  cube  at  the  left  and  the 
roller  in  the  middle.  The  other  cube  with 
"something  the  matter  with  its  corners"  and 
its  edges  is  such  a  study  ;  but  it  does  not  take 
the  average  child  long  to  find  that  the  little 
rattan  in  the  box  will  just  fit  in  the  holes 
through  the  cube,  or  to  notice  that  if  he  only 
had  a  string  he  could  put  it  through  the  little 
"rings"  that  he  sees.  He  makes  one  discovery 
after  another,  and  when  he  finds  that  the  two 
round  sticks  fit  into  the  holes  (which  were  be- 
fore a  mystery)  in  the  lid  of  the  box,  and  that 
the  square  stick  goes  on  the  top  of  these,  a  new 
world  is  surely  discovered  by  each  little  Col- 
umbus. The  box  may  be  fitted  up  with  paper 
sails  for  a  boat,  loaded  with  cylinders  for  bar- 
rels, cubes  for  boxes  of  freight  and  spheres  for 
fruit,  or  it  may  be  loaded  with  different  things, 
as  seeds,  plants,  vegetables,  etc.,  according 
to  the  season. 

The  boxes  may  be  turned  down  on  the  side 
as  ovens,  and  the  lids   placed  on  the  table  as 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


93 


kueading  hoards  ;  the  perforated  cube  can  be 
used  for  a  stove,  with  a  stick  for  the  pipe ;  the 
plain  cube  for  the  kitchen  table  ;  the  cylinder 
for  a  barrel  of  flour ;  or  by  putting'  a  round 
stick  through  the  hole  it  may  be  used  for  a 
rolling  pin;  the  sphere  may  be  a  turkey  or  ap- 
ple dumplings;  other  cubes  may  be  used  for 
bread,  and  cylinders  for  jelly  rolls  ;  then  when 
all  are  ready,  put  them  in  the  oven  for  baking. 
In  using  the  same  form  to  represent  different 
things  in  a  play,  do  not  fear  that  there  will  be 
any  incongruity,  provided  the  suggestion  comes 
from  the  children,  and  the  objects  symbolized 
are  closely  related  in  thought,  for  the  child's 
imagination  is  so  free  that  he  can  clothe  and 
re-clothe  the  same  form  with  new  life.  The 
sense  impressions  which  come  from  tracing  re- 
semblances and  differences,  experimenting  and 


handling,  will  give  a  familiarity  with  the  forms 
and  their  relation  to  each  other,  which  no  ab- 
stract lesson  on  surfaces,  edges  and  corners 
could  afford.  The  windmills,  water-wheels, 
steamboats,  wagons,  and  engines  conceived 
and  run  by  unconscious  inventors  and  master 
workmen — especially  when  one  little  fellow 
finds  out  something  new  he  can  do  with  his 
treasures,  and  imparts  it  to  the  eager  group — 
are  a  marvel  and  joy  to  any  real  kindergartner. 
No  such  wealth  of  resources  to  cultivate  imagi- 
nation and  inspire  confidence  is  found  in  any 
other  gift  as  in  this,  which  was  an  especial 
favorite  with  Froebel,  and  is  so  invaluable  that 
no  kindergartner  who  has  once  shared  the  de- 
light of  the  children  in  this  gift  for  one  year 
in  the  kindergarten  course,  will  ever  be  willing 
to  do  without  a  box  for  each  child. 


THE  THIRD  GIFT. 


This  consists  of  a  cube  divided  into  eight 
smaller  one-inch  cubes. 

A  prominent  desire  in  the  mind  of  every 
child  is  to  divide  things,  in  order  to  examine 
the  parts  of  which  they  consist.  This  natural 
instinct  is  observable  at  a  very  early  period. 
The  little  one  tries  to  change  its  toy  by  break- 
ing it,  desirous  of  looking  at  its  inside,  and  is 
sadly  disappointed  in  finding  itself  incapable  of 
reconstructing  the  fragments.  Frcebel's  Third 
G-ifl  is  founded  on  this  observation.  In  it  the 
child  receives  a  whole,  whose  parts  he  can 
easily  separate,  and  put  together  again  at  pleas- 
ure. Thus  he  is  able  to  do  that  which  he 
could  not  in  the  case  of  the  toys — restore  to  its 
original  form  that  which  was  broken — making 
a  perfect  whole.  And  not  only  this — lie  can 
use  the  parts  also  for  the  construction  of  other 
wholes. 

The  child's  first  plaything,  or  means  of  oc- 
cupation, was  the  ball.  Next  came  the  sphere, 
similar  to,  yet  so  different  from  the  ball.  Then 
followed  cube  and  cylinder,  both,  in  some  points 
resembling  the  sphere,  yet  each  having  its 
own  peculiarities,  which  distinguish  it  from 
the  sphere  and  ball.  The  pupil,  in  receiving  the 
cube,  divisible  into  eight  smaller  cubes,  meets 
with  friends,  and  is  delighted  at  the  multipli- 
city of  the  gift.  Each  of  the  eight  parts  is 
precisely  like  the  whole,  except  in  point  of 
size,  and  the  child  is  immediately  struck  with 
this  quality  of  his  first  toy  for  building  pur- 
poses. By  simply  looking  at  this  gift,  the  pu- 
pil receives  the  ideas  of  vliole  and  part — of 
form  and  comparative  size;  and  by  dividing 
the  cube,  is  impressed  with  the  relation  of  one 
part  to  another  in  regard  to  position  and  order 
of  movements,  thus  learuiug  readily  to  com- 
prehend the  use  of  such  terms  as  above,  below, 
before,  behind,  right,  left,  etc,  etc. 

With  this  and  all  the  following  gifts,  we 
produce  what  Froebel  calls  forms  of  life,  forms 
of  knowledge,  and  forms  of  beauty. 

The  first  are  representations  of  objects 
which  actually  exist,  and  which  come  under 
our  common  observation,  as  the  works  of  hu- 
man skill  and  art.  The  second  are  such  as 
afford  instruction  relative  to  number,  order, 
proportion,  etc  The  third  are  figures  repre- 
senting only  ideal  forms,  yet  so  regularly  con- 


structed as  to  present  perfect  models  of  sym- 
metry and  order  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
parts.  Thus  in  the  occupations  connected 
with  the  use  of  these  simple  building  blocks, 
the  child  is  led  into  the  living  world — there 
first  to  take  notice  of  objects  by  comparison ; 
then  to  learn  something  of  their  properties  by 
induction,  and  lastly,  to  gather  into  his  soul 
a  love  and  desire  for  the  beautiful  by  the  con- 
templation of  those  forms  which  are  regular 
and  symmetrical. 

THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE 
THIRD  GIFT. 

The  children  having  taken  their  usual  seats. 
the  teacher  addresses  them  as  follows  : — 

"To-day,  we  have  something  new  to  play 
with." 

Opening  the  package  and  displaying  the 
box,  he  does  not  at  once  gratify  their  curi- 
osity by  showing  them  what  it  contains,  but 
commences  by  asking  the  question: — 

"Which  one  of  the  three  objects  we  played 
with  yesterday  does  this  box  look  like  ?" 

They  answer  readily,  "The  cube." 

"Describe  the  box  as  the  cube  has  been 
described,  with  regard  to  its  sides,  edges, 
eorneis.  etc." 

When  this  has  been  satisfactorily  doue,  the 
box  is  placed  inverted  upon  the  table  and  the 
cover  removed  by  drawing  it  out,  which  will 
allow  the  cubes  to  stand  on  the  table.  Lift- 
ing the  box  carefully,  so  that  the  contents 
may  remain  entire  as  in  Fig.  1,  the  teacher 
asks  : — 

'•What  do  you  see  now?" 

The  answer  is  as  before,  "A  cube." 


Fig.  1. 
One  of  the  scholars  is  told  to  push  it  across 
the  table.  In  so  doing,  the  parts  will  be  likely 
to  become  separated,  and  that  which  was  pre- 
viously whole  will  lie  before  them  in  frag- 
ments. The  children  are  permitted  to  ex- 
amine the  small  cubes  ;  and  after  each  one  of 
them  has  had  one  in  his  hand,  the  eight  cubes 
are  returned  to  the  teacher  who  remarks  : — 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


95 


"Children,  as  we  have  broken  the  thing,  we 
must  try  to  mend  it.  Let  us  see  if  we  can  put 
it  together  as  it  was  before." 

This  having  been  done,  the  boxes  are  then 
distributed  among  the  children,  and  they  are 
practiced  in  removing  the  covers,  and  taking 
out  the  cube  without  destroying  its  unity. 
They  will  find  it  difficult  at  first,  and  there 
will  be  many  failures.  But  let  them  continue 
to  try  until  some,  at  least,  have  succeeded, 
and  then  proceed  to  another  occupation. 
PREPARATION  FOR  CONSTRUCTING 
FORMS. 

The  surface  of  the  tables  is  covered  with  a 
net  work  of  lines,  forming  squares  of  one-inch. 
A  space  including  a  definite  number  of  squares 
is  allotted  to  each  pupil.  In  these  iir^t  conver- 
sational lessons,  the  children  must  be  taught 
to  point  out  the  right  upper  corner  of  their 
table  space,  the  left  upper,  the  right  and  left 
lower,  the  upper  and  lower  edges,  the  right 
and  left  edges,  and  the  center.  With  little 
staffs,  or  sticks  cut  at  convenient  lengths,  they 
may  indicate  direction,  by  laying  them  upon 
the  table  in  a  line  from  left  to  right,  covering 
the  center  of  the  space,  or  extending  them 
from  the  right  upper  to  the  left  lower  edge 
covering  the  center;  then  from  the  middle  of 
the  upper  edge  to  the  middle  of  the  lower  edge, 
and  so  on.  The  teacher  must  be  careful  to  use 
terms  that  can  lie  easily  comprehended,  and 
avoid  changing  them  in  such  a  way  as  to  pro- 
duce any  ambiguity  in  the  mind  of  the  child. 

Here,  as  in  the  more  advanced  exercises, 
everything  should  be  done  with  a  great  deal 
of  precision.  The  children  must  understand 
that  order  and  regularity  in  all  the  perform- 
ances are  of  the  utmost  importance1.  The 
following  will  serve  as  an  illustration  of  the 
method  :  The  children  having  received  the 
boxes,  they  are  required  to  place  them  exactly 
in  the  center  of  their  spaces,  so  as  to  cover 
four  squares.  Then  take  hold  of  the  box  with 
the  right  hand  and  inverting  it  upon  the  table 
remove  the  cover  with  the  left  hand  by  draw- 
ing it  out  from  beneath.  The  right  hand  is 
used  to  raise  the  box  carefully  from  its  place 
and  eight  small  cubes  will  stand  in  the  center 
of  the  space  forming  one  large  cube.  Lastly 
the  cover  is  placed  in  the  box  and  the  box 
placed  in  the  upper  corner  of  the  space  allotted 
to  the  child. 

At  the  close  of  any  play,  when  the  materials 
are  to  be  returned  to  the  teacher,   the    same 


minuteness  of   detail  must  be  observed   as  fol- 
lows : — 

Replace  the  box  over  the  cubes,  and  draw 
toward  the  edge  of  the  table;  then  slip  the 
cover  beneath,  reverse  the  box  and  replace 
the  cover. 

These  are  processes  which  must  be  repeated 
many  times  before  the  scholar  can  acquire  ex- 
pertness. 

FORMS  OF  LIFE. 

The  boxes  being  opened  as  directed,  and 
the  cubes  upon  the  center  squares — in  each 
space —  the  question  is  asked  : — 

"How  many  little  cubes  are  there  ?"  "Eight." 

••Count  them,  placing  them  in  a  row  from 
left  to  right,"  (or  from  right  to  left). 

"What  is  that?"  "A  row  of  cubes." 


Fig.  2. 
It  may  bear   any  appropriate   name   which 
the  children  give  it — as  "a  train  of   cars."  "a 
company  of  soldiers,"  "a  fence."  etc. 

"Now  count  your  cubes  once  more, 
placing  them  one  upon  another.  What 
have  you  there  ?" 

••An  upright  row  of  eight  cubes." 
"Have  you  ever  seen  anything  stand- 
ing like  this  upright  row  of  cubes?" 
••A  chimney."     "A  steeple." 
"Take  down  your  cubes,   and  build 
two  upright  rows  of  them — one  square 
apart.     What  have  you  now?" 

••Two  little  steeples,"  or  "two 
chimneys." 

Thus,  with  these  eight  cubes,  many 
forms  of  life  can  be  built  under 
the  guidance  of  the  teacher.  It 
is  an  important  rule  in  this  occu- 
pation, that  nothing  should  be 
rudely  destroyed  which  has  been 
constructed,  but  each  new  form 
is  to  be  produced  by  slight 
change  of  the  preceding  one. 

A  oumber  of  these  forms  are  given  below 
They  are  designated  by  Froebel  as  follows  : — 


Fig. 


-! 


Fio-. 


Fig.  5. 
Cube  or  Kitchen  Table. 


96 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  6. 


Fireplace. 


Fig.  7 


Grandpa's  Chair, 


Fig.  8. 
Grandpa's  and  Grandma's  Chair; 


Fig.   !). 
A  Castle  with  two  towers. 


u 


Fig.  10. 


A  Stronghold. 


A  Wall. 


Fig.  11, 


^        s 

Fig.  12. 


A  High  Wall. 


Fig.  13. 


Two  Columns. 


, 


Fig.  14. 
A  Large  Column,  with  two  memorial  stones. 


Fig.    15. 


Signpost. 


1 

/ 

Fig.  16. 


Cross. 


Fig.   1' 


Two  Crosses. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


97 


Fig.  18. 
Cross,  with  pedestal. 


Fiff.  19. 


L 

— 1      f 

Fig.  24. 
City  (rate, with  tower. 


iv 

j 

Fie;.  25. 


Monument. 


Church. 


[ 

- 

Fig.   20. 


Sentry-box. 


.,*ia    ,./ 


Fig.  21. 


A  Well. 


Fio-.  22. 


City  Gate. 


S*          S 

/ 

Fiff.  23. 


Triumphal  Arch. 


City  Hall. 


Castle. 


L 

; 

Fig.  26. 


*fi 


Fio-.  27. 


Fie.  28. 


A  Locomotive. 


Fio-.   29. 


Ruin. 


98 


QUARTER   CENTURY  EDITION 


n 


Fig.  30. 
Bridge  with  Keeper's  House. 


Fig.  31. 
Two  Rows  of  Trees. 


Fig.  32. 
Two  Long  Logs  of  Wood. 


/    ,/ 


Fig.  33. 


A  Platform 


Fig.   34. 
Two  Small  Logs  of  Wood. 


m 


Fig.  35. 
Four  Garden  Benches. 


1 

1 

3 

Fig.  36. 


Stairs. 


Fig.  37. 


Double   Ladder. 


/ 

Fig.  38. 
Two  Columns  on  pedestals. 


Well-trough. 


Fig.  3!). 


■'       ■*         ! 


^r 


Fig.   40. 


Bath. 


Fig.  41. 


A  Tunnel. 


Easy  Chair. 


Fig.  42. 


Fig.   43. 


Bench  with  back. 


Fig.   44. 


Cube. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


99 


Several  of  the  names  in  this  list  represent 
objects  which,  being  more  specifically  German, 
will  not  be  recognized  by  the  children.  Ruins, 
castles,  sentry-boxes,  signposts,  perhaps  they 
have  never  seen ;  but  it  is  easy  to  tell  them 
something  about  these  objects  which  Avill  in- 
terest them.  They  will  listen  with  pleasure  to 
short  stones,  narrated  by  way  of  explanation, 
and  thus  associating  the  story  with  the  form, 
be  aide,  at  another  time,  to  reconstruct  the 
latter  while  they  repeat  the  former  in  their  own 
words.  It  is  not  to  be  expected,  however,  that 
teachers  in  this  country  should  adhere  closely 
to  the  list  of  Froebel.  They  may,  with  advan- 
tage, vary  the  forms,  and  if  they  choose,  affix 
other  names  to  those  given  in  these  pages.  It 
is  well  sometimes  to  adopt  such  designations 
as  are  suggested  by  the  children  themselves. 
They  will  be  found  to  be  quite  apt  in  tracing 
resemblances  between  their  structures  and  the 
objects  with  which  they  are  familiar. 

In  order  to  make  the  occupation  still  more 
useful,  they  should  be  required  also  to  point 
out  the  dissimilarities  existing  between  the 
form  and  that  which  it  represents. 

It  is  proper  to  allow  the  child,  at  times,  to 
in  rent  forms,  the  teacher  assisting  the  fantasy 
of  the  little  builder  in  the  work  of  construct- 
ing, and  in  assigning  names  to  the  structure. 
"When  a  figure  has  been  found  and  named, 
the  child  should  be  required  to  take  the  blocks 
apart,  and  build  the  same  several  times  in 
succession.  Older  and  more  advanced  scholars 
suggest  to  younger  and  less  aide  ones,  and 
the  latter  will  be  found  to  appreciate  such  help. 

It  is  a  common  observation,  that  the  younger 
children  in  a  family  develop  more  rapidly  than 
the  older  ones,  since  the  former  are  assisted  in 
their  mental  growth  by  companionship  with  the 
latter.  This  benefit  of  association  is  seen  more 
fully  in  the  Kindergarten,  under  the  judicious 
guidance  of  a  teacher  who  knows  how  to  en- 
courage what  is  right,  and  check  what  is  wrong, 
in  the  disposition  of  the  children. 

It  should  be  remarked,  in  connection  with 
these  directions,  that  in  the  use  of  this  and  the 
succeeding  gift  it  is  essential  that  a^the  blocks 
should  be  used  in  the  building  of  each  figure, 
in  order  to  accustom  the  child  to  look  upon 
things  as  mutually  related.  There  is  nothing 
which  has  not  its  appointed  place,  and  each 
part  is  needed  to  constitute  the  whole.  For  ex- 
ample, the  well-trough  (Fig.  39)  may  be  built 
of  six  cubes,  but  the  remaining  two  should  rep- 


resent two  pails  with  which  the  water  is  con- 
veyed to  the  trough. 

FORMS  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

These  do  not  represent  objects,  either  real 
or  ideal.  They  instruct  the  pupil  concerning 
the  properties  and  relations  of  numbers,  by 
a  particular  arranging  and  grouping  of  the 
blocks.  Strictly  speaking,  the  first  effort  to 
count,  by  laying  them  on  the  table  one  after 
another,  is  to  be  classed  under  this  head.  The 
form  thus  produced,  though  varied  at  each 
trial,  is  one  of  the  forms  of  knowledge,  and 
by  it  the  child  receives  its  first  lesson  in 
arithmetic. 

Proceeding  further,  he  is  taught  to  add, 
always  by  using  the  cubes  to  illustrate  the 
successive  steps.  Thus,  having  placed  two  of 
the  blocks  at  a  little  distance  from  each  other 
on  the  table,  he  is  caused  to  repeat,  "One  and 
one  are  two."  Then  placing  another  upon  the 
table,  he  repeats,  "One  and  two  are  three," 
and  so  on,  until  all  the  blocks  are  added. 

Subtraction  is  taught  in  a  similar  manner. 
Having  placed  all  the  cubes  upon  the  table, 
the  scholar  commences  taking  them  otf,  one 
at  a  time,  repeating,  as  he  does  this,  "One 
from  eight  leaves  seven;"  "One  from  seven 
leaves  six,"  and  so  on. 

According  to  circumstances,  of  which  the 
Kindergartner,  of  course,  will  be  the  best 
judge,  these  exercises  may  be  continued  fur- 
ther, by  adding  and  subtracting  two.  three 
ami  so  on  ;  but  care  should  always  be  taken 
that  no  new  step  be  made  until  all  that  has 
gone  before  is  perfectly  understood. 

With  the  more  advanced  classes,  exercises 
in  multiplication  and  division  may  be  tried, 
by  grouping  the  blocks. 

The  division  of  the  large  cube,  to  illustrate 
the  principles  of  proportion,  is  an  interesting 
and  instructive  occupation ;  and  we  will  here 
proceed  to  give  the  method  in  detail. 

The  children  have  their  cube  of  eight  be- 
fore them  on  the  table. 


Fig.  45. 

The  teacher  is  also  furnished  with  one   and 
lifting  the  upper  half  asks  : — 


100 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


''Two  halves — one  whole." 

Again,  each  half  is  divided,  as  shown  in 
Figs.  49,  50  and  51.  The  children  are  required 
to  repeat  during  these  occupations  : — 


Fig.  46. 

"Did  I  take  the  whole  of  my  cube  in  my 
hand,  or  did  I  leave  some  of  it  on  the  table?" 

"You  left  some  on  the  table." 

"Do  I  hold  in  my  hand  more  of  my  cube 
than  I  left  on  the  table,  or  are  both  parts 
alike  ?" 

"Both  are  alike-." 

"If  things  are  alike,  we  call  them  equal. 
So  I  divided  my  cube  into  two  equal  parts, 
and  each  of  these  equal  parts  I  call  a  half. 

Where  are  the  two  halves  of  my  cube?" 

"One  is  in  37our  hand  ;  the  other  is  on  the 
table." 

"So  I  have  two  half  cubes.  I  will  now 
place  the  half  which  1  have  in  my  hand  upon 
the  half  standing  on  the  table.  What  have  I 
now?" 

"A  whole  cube." 
The  teacher,  then  separating  the  cube  again 
into  halves,  by  drawing  four  of  the  smaller 
cubes  to  the  right  and  four  to  the  left  asks  : — 


Fig.  47. 

"What  have  I  now  before  me?" 

"Two  half  cubes." 

"Before,  I  had  an  upper  and  a  lower  half. 

Now,  I  have  a  right  and  a  left  half.  Uniting 
the  halves  again  I  have  once  more  a  whole." 

The  scholars  are  taught  to  repeat  as  follows, 
while  the  teacher  divides  and  unites  the  cubes  in 
both  ways,  also  as  represented  in  Fig.  48  : — 


Fig.  48. 
"One  whole — two  halves." 


Fig.  49. 


Fig.   50. 


Fig.  51. 

"One  whole — two  halves." 

"One  half — two  quarters  (or  fourths)." 

"Two  quarters — one  half." 

"Two  halves — one  whole." 

After  these  processes  are  fully  explained 
and  the  principles  well  understood  by  the 
scholars,  they  are  to  try  their  hand  at  divid- 
ing of  the  cube — first,  individually  then  all 
together.  If  they  succeed,  they  may  then  be 
taught  to  separate  it  into  eighths.  It  is  not 
advisable  in  all  cases,  to  proceed  thus  far. 


Fig.  52. 

Children  under  four  years  of  age  should  be 
restricted,  for  the  most  part  to  the  use  of  the 
cubes  for  practical  building  purposes,  and  for 
simpler  forms  of  knowledge. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


101 


FORMS  OF  BEAUTY. 

Starting  with  a  few  simple  arrangements, 
or  positions,  of  the  blocks,  we  are  able  to  de- 
velop the  forms  contained  in  this  class  by 
means  of  a  fixed  law,  viz.,  that  every  change 
of  position  is  to  be  accompanied  by  a  corre- 
sponding movement  on  the  opposite  side.  In 
this  way  symmetrical  figures  are  constructed  in 
infinite  variety,  representing  no  real  objects, 
yet,  by  their  regularity  of  outline,  adapted 
to  please  the  eye,-  and  minister  to  a  correct 
artistic  taste.  The  love  of  the  beautiful  can- 
not fail  to  be  awakened  in  the  youthful  mind 
by  such  an  occupation  as  this,  and  with  this 
emotion  will  be  associated,  to  some  extent,  the 
love  of  the  good,  for  they  are  inseparable. 

The  works  of  God  are  characterized  by  per- 
fect order  and  symmetry,  and  his  goodness  is 
commensurate  with  the  beauty  manifest  every- 
where in  the  fruits  of  his  creative  power.  The 
construction  of  forms  of  beauty  with  the  build- 
ing blocks  will  prepare  the  child  to  appreciate, 
by^  and  by,  the  order  that  rules  the  universe. 

These  forms  are  of  only  one  block's  height, 
and,  consequently,  represent  outlines  of  sur- 
faces. It  is  necessary  that  the  children  should 
be  guided,  in  their  construction,  by  an  easily 
recognizable  center.  Around  this  visible  point 
all  the  separate  parts  of  the  form  to  be  created 
must  be  arranged,  just  as  in  working  out  the 
highest  destiny  of  man,  all  his  thoughts  and 
acts  need  to  be  regulated  by  an  invisible  cen- 
ter, around  which  he  is  to  construct  a  har- 
monious and  beautiful  whole. 

In  order  to  produce  the  varied  forms  of 
beauty  with  the  simple  material  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  scholar,  he  must  first  learn  in 
what  ways  two  cubes  may  be  brought  in  con- 
tact with  each  other.  Four  positions  are  shown 
in  Figs.  53  to  56.  The  blocks  may  be  arranged 
either — side  by  side,  as  in  Fig.  53  ;  edge  to 
edge,  as  in  Fig.  54  ;  or  edge  to  side,  and  side 
to  edge,  as  in  Figs.  55  and  56.  Figs.  53  and 
55  are  the  opposites  to  Figs.  54  and  56.  Other 
changes  of  position  may  be  made.  For  ex- 
ample, in  Fig.  53  the  block  marked  a  may  be 
placed  above  or  to  the  right  or  to  the  left  of 
the  block  marked  b.  The  cubes  may  also  be 
placed  in  certain  relations  to  each  other  on  the 
table,  without  being  in  actual  contact.  These 
positions  should  be  practiced  perseveringly  at 
the   outset,  so  as  to  furnish  a  foundation  for 


the  processes  of  construction  which  are  to  fol- 
low. It  is  one  of  the  important  features  of 
Fra'bel's  system,  that  it  enables  the  child 
readily  to  discover,  and  critically  to  observe, 
all  relations  which  objects  sustain  to  one 
another.  Thoroughness,  therefore,  is  required 
in  all  the  details  of  these  occupations. 

AVe  start  from  any  fundamental  form  that 
may  present  itself  to  our  mind.  Take,  for 
illustration,  Fig.  57.  Four  cubes  are  here 
united  side  to  side,  constituting  a  square  sur- 
face, and  the  outline  is  completed  by  placing 
the  four  remaining  cubes,  severally  side  to 
side  with  this  middle  square.  In  Fig.  58,  edge 
touches  edge ;  in  Fig.  59,  side  touches  edge, 
and  in  Fig.  60,  edge  touches  side  midway. 
Another  mode  of  development  is  shown  in 
Figs.  61-67. 

The  four  outside  cubes  move  toward  the 
right  by  a  half  cube's  length,  until  the  original 
form  reappears  in  Fig.  67. 

Now,  the  four  outside  cubes  occupy  the 
opposite  position.  Fig.  68,  edges  touch  sides. 
They  are  moved  as  before  by  a  half  cube's 
length,  until,  in  Fig.  74,  the  form  with  which 
we  started,  is  regained. 

We  now  extract  the  inside  cubes  (b),  Fig. 
7.">,  and  each  of  them  travels  around  its  neigh- 
bor cube  (a),  until  a  standing,  hollow  square 
is  developed,  as  in  Fig.  81. 

Now  cube  a  again  is  set  in  motion.  (Fig. 
82 ) .  It  assumes  a  slanting  direction  to  the 
remaining  cubes,  and,  pursuing  its  course 
around  them,    the  form  reappears  in  Fig.  88. 

Next  b  is  drawn  out,  (Fig.  89)  and  <( 
pushed  in,  until  a  standing  cross  is  formed, 
(Fig.  90)  b,  constantly  traveling  by  a  half 
cube's  length,  until  all  cubes  are  united  in  a 
large  square,  (Fig.  95)  and  b  again  begins 
traveling,  by  a  cube's  length,  turning  side  to 
side  and  edge  to  edge.  In  Fig.  100,  b  per- 
forms as  a  has  done. 

But  with  more  developed  children  we  may 
proceed  on  other  principles,  Fig.  101,  intro- 
ducing changes  only  on  two  instead  of  four 
sides,  and  thus  arriving  successively  at  the 
forms  found  in  Figs.  102-112. 

After  each  occupation,  the  scholars  should 
replace  their  cubes  in  the  boxes,  as  heretofore 
described,  and  the  material  should  be  re- 
turned to  the  closet  where  it  is  kept,  before 
commencing  any  other  play. 


102 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


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Fig. 55. 


Fio-.  56. 


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Fig.  60. 


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Fig.  62. 


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Fig.  64.  Fig.  65. 


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Fig.  73.  Fig.  74.  Fig.  75. 


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Fio-.  77 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


103 


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Fig.  78. 


Fig.  79. 


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Fig.  82. 


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Fig.  100. 


Fig.  101. 


Fig.  102. 


104 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fie.  103. 


Fig.  104. 


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Fig.  106. 


Fio-.  107. 


Fie.  108. 


Fig.  109.  Fig.  110. 

EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


Fig.  in, 


Fio-.  112. 


As  the  best  knowledge  cannot  be  attained 
without  division  or  analysis  of  a  whole,  the 
divided  solids  follow  those  which  give  the  im- 
pression of  wholes.  An  arbitrary  division  can- 
not give  clear  ideas,  so  a  regular  division, 
according  to  certain  laws,  is  necessary. 

Prominent  features  of  this  gift  are  the  like- 
ness of  each  part  of  the  cube  to  the  whole,  and 
the  contrast  of  size  between  the  cuhe  and  its 
parts.  The  chief  object  of  the  gift  is  to  de- 
velop the  creative  power  of  the  child  ;  so  that 
he  is  encouraged  to  follow  his  instinctive  wish 
to  see  the  construction  of  things,  and  begins 
his  investigation  of  particular  phenomena.  He 
divides  the  cube  to  find  its  component  parts  and 
examines  the  pieces.  He  finds  that  each  part 
is  like  the  whole,  only  smaller,  so  that  the  im- 
pression of  this  particular  form  is  deepened; 
he  can  create  many  forms  and  by  re- arranging 
discover  new  qualities  and  uses. 

The  material  allows  the  child  to  express  out- 
wardly his  inner  conceptions,  which  is  one  of 
the  first  demands  of  life.  The  desire  to  look 
at  the  interior  of  things  is  the  germ  of  the  fullest 
development,  the  beginning  of  the  formation 
of  the  scientific  mind. 

While  this  gift  is  similar  to  the  cube  of  the 
second  in  size  and  material,  and  interests  the 
child  because  of  this  likeness,  it  is  the  contrast 
between  the  two  cubes  that  holds  his  attention. 


Thus  he  is  taken  from  what  he  already  knows, 
into  a  wider  field  of  knowledge. 

Let  the  child  compare  the  two  gifts  in  regard 
to  faces,  corners,  edges,  direction  and  element 
of  rest ;  in  this  way  test  his  memory  and  lead 
him  to  commence  a  classification  of  objects  by 
deciding  that  all  bodies  of  similar  proportions 
and  qualities  must  be  cubical  in  form. 

The  harmony  of  the  child's  development 
through  this  gift  rests  chiefly  on  the  method 
with  which  he  begins  and  ends  his  play  with 
it.  If  he  takes  the  cube  from  the  box  as  a 
whole,  it  stands  before  him  a  type  of  the  unity 
he  would  learn  about ;  and  if  after  the  play 
he  reconstructs  the  typical  whole,  his  inner 
nature  is  satisfied,  for  he  has  proceeded  from 
unity,  through  his  play  to  unity  again  ;  but  if 
he  takes  the  parts  out  one  by  one  all  is  con- 
fusion, appealing  only  to  the  external  side  of 
his  nature. 

In  playing,  every  part  should  be  used,  other- 
wise the  material  is  wasted.  The  child  should 
early  learn  that  nothing  is  isolated  and  un- 
connected, nothing  without  its  purpose  and  its 
appointed  use.  If  all  the  given  material  is  used 
the  relation  of  the  part  to  the  whole  is  kept  con- 
stantly before  the  mind  and  eye  of  the  child  ; 
each  part  being  of  value  only  as  it  helps  to 
make  the  whole  complete. 

Details  in  small  things  are  of  great  impor- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


105 


tance,  and  the  kindergartner  should  carefully 
impress  on  the  child  the  idea  of  order  and  neat- 
ness in  the  taking  out  and  putting  away  of  the 
cube.  As  soon  as  the  box  containing  this  gift 
is  given  out  the  child  recognizes  it  as  another 
cube,  and  the  kindergartner  should  call  atten- 
tion to  the  paper  upon  it,  compare  it  with  the 
other  boxes,  and  talk  about  it.  Then  placing 
the  box  four  inches  from  the  front  of  the  table 
reverse  it  so  that  it  rests  upon  the  top,  draw 
out  the  cover,  lift  the  box  so  as  not  to  disturb 
the  cubes,  place  the  lid  diagonally  inside  and 
remove  the  box  to  give  free  play  for  the  work. 
This  simple  operation  gives  the  child  an  ex- 
ample of  order. 

In  this  first  presentation  of  the  divided  cube, 
lead  the  child  to  see  it  as  a  whole  that  can  be 
divided  into  parts,  so  that  he  shall  get  a  defi- 
nite idea  of  the  whole,  its  parts,  of  form  and 
comparative  size  and  of  the  relations  of  num- 
ber and  position,  learning  readily  to  compre- 
hend the  use  of  such  terms  as  front,  back,  top, 
bottom,  right  and  left.  Review  the  naming  of 
opposites  and  the  directions  of  the  different 
lines.  Divide  the  cube  in  all  its  various  ways, 
so  that  it  has  top  and  bottom  halves,  front  and 
back  halves  and  right  and  left  halves  ;  give  a 
simple  sequence  with  a  short  story,  thus  :  Move 
the  right  half  of  the  cube  two  inches  to  the 
right, to  make  the  road  which  little  Mary  takes 
on  her  way  to  grandma's  in  the  country.  Place 
the  halves  together  again,  and  move  the  left- 
half  two  inches  to  the  left  ( the  brook  which 
runs  by  the  foot  of  the  meadow  where  she  sails 
her  tiny  boat  and  watches  the  fishes  play). 
Put  the  parts  together  again  and  remove  the 
top-half,  placing  it  two  inches  to  the  back, 
(two  lunch  tables  in  the  grove  back  of  the 
house ) . 

As  from  the  whole  to  the  half,  so  also  proceed 
from  the  half  to  the  quarter-cubes  by  dividing 
the  halves  into  halves,  then  to  the  eighth  of  the 
whole  cube,  by  dividing  the  quarters  into 
halves.  Show  that  two-fourths  and  four-eighths 
equal  one-half,  that  two-eighths  equal  one-quar- 
ter, that  eight-eighths  equal  the  whole,  etc.  Of 
course  these  progressive  steps  can  only  be  taken 
slowly  and  in  accordance  with  the  child's  com- 
prehension, the  kindergartner  making  sure  that 
each  point  is  understood,  before  another  is 
given.  For  the  division  of  the  gift  sing  the 
following  song  to  the  tune  of  "All  for  Baby," 
in  Miss  Poulsson's  Finger  Plays  : — 


(Whole  cube). 

Here  is  mamma's  kitchen, 
Built  so  close  and  tighl  : 

(Place  the  top  half  on  the    table    against    the 
right  of  the  lower  half ). 

Here's  the  breakfast  table, 
Which  we'll  dress  in  white. 

( I  )ra  w  right-half  one  inch  to  the  right ) . 

Now  we  will  divide  it, 
See !  we  have  two  more ; 

(Separate  these  halves  right  and  left). 

Again  we  will  divide  it, 
Now  we  eaeli  have  four. 

Push  back  all  the  back  ones, 
Each  one  from  its  mate. 
Now    if  we  should  count  them 
We'll  find  that  we  have  eight. 

Push  them  up  together 
As  they  were  before. 
<  hie  and  one  are  two,  and 
Two  and  two  are  four. 

Lift  the  right  half  up, 
And  place  it  on  the  top : 
Now  our  cube  is  whole 
And,  it's  time  to  stop. 

The  children  find  pleasure  in  dividing  the 
cube  into  its  parts,  examining  each  separate 
piece,  and  in  arranging  and  re-arranging  the 
eight  parts  in  different  ways. 

To  bring  out  the  number  and  position  of  the 
faces,  call  the  cube  a  barn ;  let  a  little  bird  fly 
from  the  top,  another  from  the  front,  one  from 
the  back,  from  the  right  side  and  from  the  left. 
Show  the  edges  and  their  directions  by  build- 
ing walls,  platforms  and  columns  of  different 
heights  and  lengths  in  different  directions, 
bringing  the  square  faces  of  the  cube  so  con- 
stantly before  the  child  that  his  concept  of  a 
square  becomes  a  true  one. 

In  the  use  of  the  building  material  allow 
the  little  children  much  freedom.  Check  from 
the  beginning  any  tendency  to  knock  down  any 
of  the  forms  which  they  make,  and  lead  them 
to  change  one  form  into  another  related  to  it  by 
slight  alterations.  Keep  this  up  until  the  child 
acquires  the  habit  of  following  this  plan.  Have 
them  build  neatly  and  accurately  according  to 
the  measurements  of  the  squared  table,  as  this 
brings  the  play  building  of  the  child  under  the 
fundamental  law  of  all  building  and  its  beauty 
as  well  as  its  practicability  is  soon  seen. 

To  increase  the  interest  of  the  child, and  draw 
out  involuntary  freedom,  connect  the  building 
with  his  own  experiences  ;  connect  the  forms  in 


106 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


his  play  by  a  simple  story  or  let  a  child  tell  of 
something  he  has  seen,  and  illustrate  by  build 
ing  the  object.  Show  the  different  ways  cubes 
may  touch  each  other,  as  face  to  face  ( direction 
front  and  back,  or  right  and  left)  ;  edge  to 
edge,  with  the  corners  front,  faces  front  right 
and  left,  or  front  and  back;  edge  to  face  at 
the  front,  back,  right  and  left.  To  add  in- 
terest let  the  children  invent  and  tell  a  story 
about  the  object.     They  are  delighted  to  see 


their  cube  grow  into  a  table,  a  chair  for  grandpa, 
a  lied,  a  church,  a  bridge,  a  lighthouse  to 
guide  the  sailors.  These  objects  they  clothe 
with  life,  developing  their  imagination  and 
originality.  Thus  through  this  gift  the  forma- 
tive and  expressed  powers  of  the  child  are  ex- 
ercised, his  judgment  and  reason  are  developed 
and  he  gains  a  love  of  all  that  is  beautiful  and 
harmonious. 


THE  FOURTH  GIFT. 


The  preceding;  gift  consisted  of  cubical 
blocks,  all  of  their  three  dimensions  being  the 
same.  In  the  Fourth  Gift,  we  have  greater  vari- 
ety for  purposes  of  construction,  since  each  of 
the  parts  of  the  large  cube  is  an  oblong  block, 
whose  length  is  twice  its  width,  and  four  times 
its  thickness.  The  dimensions  bear  the  same 
proportion  to  each  other  as  those  of  an  ordi- 
nary brick  ;  and  hence  these  blocks  are  some- 
times called  bricks.  They  are  useful  in  teach- 
ing the  child  difference  in  regard  to  length, 
breadth,  and  height.  This  difference  enables 
him  to  construct  a  greater  variety  of  forms 
than  he  could  by  means  of  the  third  gift.  By 
these  he  is  made  to  understand,  more  dis- 
tinctly, the  meaning  of  the  terms  vertical 
and  horizontal.  And  if  the  teacher  sees  tit  to 
pursue  the  course  of  experiment  sufficiently 
far,  many  philosophical  truths  will  be  devel- 
oped ;  as,  for  instance,  the  law  of  equilibrium, 
shown  by  laying  one  block  across  another,  or 
the  phenomenon  of  continuous  motion,  exhibi- 
ted in  the  movement  of  a  row  of  the  blocks,  set 
on  end.  and  gently  pushed  from  one  direction. 

PREPARATION  FOR  CONSTRUCTING 
FORMS. 

This  gift  is  introduced  to  the  children  in  a 
manner  similar  to  the  presentation  of  the  third 
gift.  The  box  is  reversed  upon  the  table  and 
the  cover  is  removed.  Lifting  the  box  care- 
fully, the  cube  remains  entire.  The  children 
are  made  to  observe  that,  when  whole,  its  size 
is  the  same  as  that  of  the  previous  one.  Its 
parts,  however,  are  very  different  in  form, 
though  their  number  is  the  same.  There  are 
still  eight  1  docks.  Let  the  scholars  compare  one 
of  the  small  cubes  of  the  third  gift  with  one  of 
the  oblong  blocks  in  this  gift ;  note  the  simi- 
larities and  the  differences  ;  then,  if  they  can 
comprehend,  that  notwithstanding,  they  are  so 
unlike  inform,  their  solid  contents  is  the  same, 
since  it  takes  just  eight  of  each  to  make  the 
same  sized  cube,  an  important  lesson  will  have 
been  learned.  If  told  to  name  objects  that  re- 
semble the  oblong  blocks,  they  will  readily 
designate  a,brick,  table,  i)i<in<>,  closet  etc.,  and 
if  allowed  to  invent  forms  of  life,  will  doubt- 
less  construct  boxes,  benches,  etc. 


The  same  precision  should  be  observed  in 
all  the  details  of  opening  and  closing  the  plays 
with  this  gift  as  in  those  previously  described. 
FORMS  OF  LIFE. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  FroebePs  forms. 
If  the  names  do  not  appear  quite  striking,  or 
to  the  point,  the  teacher  may  try  to  substitute 
better  ones  : — 


Fig.  1. 


The  Cube. 


Fig.  2. 
Part  of  a  Floor,  or  Top  of  a  Table. 


Fig.  3. 
Two  Large  Boards. 


Fig.  4. 
Four  Small  Boards. 


Fig.  5. 
Eight  Building  Blocks. 


—     r 


\ L 


Fig.  6. 
A  Long  Garden  Wall. 


108 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


€ 


,L 


^ 


A  City  Gate. 


Fig.  7. 


Fig.  8. 
Another  City  (rate. 


Fig.  9. 


A  Bee  Stand. 


— i 


L 

Fig.  10. 


1  1 


A  Colonnade. 


Fig.  11. 


A  Passage. 


Fig.  12. 


Bell  Tower. 


Fig.  13. 
Open  Garden  House. 


Fig.  U. 
Garden  House,  with  doors. 


Fig.  15. 


A  Shaft. 


Shaft, 


Fig.  16. 


Fig.  17, 
A  Well,  with  cover. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


109 


Fig.  18. 


A  Fountain. 


Fig.   19. 

Closed  Garden  Wall. 


Fig.  20. 
An  Open  Garden. 


An  Open  Garden. 


Fig.  21. 


Fig.  22. 
Watering  Trough. 


( H.l'f' 


n|i'"ll 


•muni 


W\\i\ 


Fig.  23. 


Shooting  Stand. 


% 


Village. 


Fig.  24. 


Fig.  25. 


Triumphal  Arch. 


Fig.  26. 


Merry-go-round . 


Fig.  27 
Large  Garden  Settee. 


Fig.  28. 


Seat. 


1MJU 


■ 


— 


Fig.  29. 


Settee. 


Fig.  30. 


Sofa. 


Fig.  31. 


Two  Chairs. 


110 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  32. 
Garden  Table  and  Chairs. 


Fio-.  33. 


Children's  Table. 


Fig.  34. 


Tombstone. 


Fis;.  35. 


Tombstone. 


Fio-.  36. 


Tombstone. 


Fio-.  37. 


Monument. 


Fio-.  38. 


Monument. 


Fis-.  39. 


Winding  Stairs. 


Fio-.  40. 


Broader  Stairs. 


Stalls. 


Fis;.  41. 


A  Cross  Road. 


Fig.  42. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Ill 


Fig.  43. 


Tunnel. 


Fis.  44. 


Pyramid. 


Fig.  45. 


Shooting  Stand. 


Fig.  46. 


Front  of  a  House. 


Fis.  48. 


A  Throne. 


Fig.  50. 

Figs.  49  and  50  are  illustrations  of  Contin- 
uous Motion. 

Here  as  in  the  use  of  the  previous  gift,  one 
form  is  produced  from  another  by  slight 
changes,  accompanied  by  explanations  on  the 
part  of  the  teacher.  Thus,  Fig.  30  is  easily 
changed  to  Figs.  31,  32,  and  33,  and  Fig.  34 
may  be  changed  to  Figs.  35,  36,  and  37.  In 
every  case,  all  the  blocks  are  to  be  employed 
in  constructing  a  figure. 

FORMS  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

This  gift  like  the  preceding,  is  used  to  com- 
municate ideas  of  divisibility.    Here,  however, 


Fig.  51.  Fig 

on  account  of  the  particular  form  of  the  parts, 
the  processes  are  adapted  to  illustrate  the  di- 
vision of  a  surface,  as  well  as  of  a  solid  body. 


Fig.  47. 
Chair,  with  Footstool. 


Fig.  53. 
The  cube  is  arranged  so  that  one  vertical 
and  three  horizontal  cuts  appear,  (Fig.  51)  and 
the  child  is  then  requested  to  separate  it  into 


112 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  54. 


halves,  (Fig.  52)  these  halves  into  quarters, 
(Fig.  53)  and  these  quarters  into  eighths, 
(  Fig.  54 ) .  Each  of  the  latter  will  be  found  to 
be  one  of  the  oblong  blocks,  and  this  for  the 
time  may  be  made  the  subject  of  conversation. 

"Of  what  material  is  this  block  made?" 

"What  is  the  color?" 

"What  objects  resemble  it  in  form?" 

"How  many  sides  has  it?" 

"Which  is  the  largest  side?" 

"Which  is  the  smallest  side?" 

"Is  there  a  side  larger  than  the  smallest 
and  smaller  than  the  largest?" 

In  this  way,  the  scholars  learn  that  there  are 
three  kinds  of  sides,  symmetrically  arranged 
in  pairs.  The  upper  and  lower,  the  right  and 
left,  the  front  and  back,  are  respectively  equal 
to  and  like  each  other. 

By  questions,  or  by  direct  explanation,  facts 
like  the  following,  may  be  made  apparent  to 
the  minds  of  children.  "The  upper  and  lower 
sides  of  the  block  are  twice  as  large  as  the 
two  long  sides,  or  the  front  and  back,  as  they 
may  be  called.  Again,  the  front  and  back  are 
twice  as  large  as  the  right  and  left,  or  the  two 
short  sides  of  the  block.  Consequently,  the 
two  largest  sides  are  four  times  as  large  as 
the  two  smallest  sides."  This  can  be  demon- 
strated in  a  very  interesting  way,  by  placing 
several  of  the  blocks  side  by  side,  in  a  variety 
of  positions,  and  in  all  these  operations  the 
children  should  be  allowed  to  experiment  for 
themselves.  The  small  cubes  of  the  preceding 
gift  may  also  with  propriety  be  brought  in 
comparison  with  the  oblong  blocks  of  this  gift, 
and  the  differences  observed. 


Fig.  55. 

When  the  single  block  has  been  employed  to 
advantage,  through  several  lessons,  the  whole 
cube  may  then  be  made  use  of,  for  the  repre- 
sentation of  forms  of  knowledge. 

Construct  a  tablet  or  plane  as  in  Fig.  55. 
In  order  to  show  the  relations  of  dimension, 
divide  this  plane  into  halves,   either  by  a  ver- 


tical  or  horizontal  cut,     (Figs.  56  and  57). 
These  two  forms  will  give  rise  to  instructive 

observations  and  remarks  by  asking  : — 

"What  was  the  form  of  the  original  tablet  ?" 

"What  is  the  form  of  its  halves?" 

"How  many  times  larger  is  their  breadth 

than  their  height  ?" 

So  with  regard  to  the  position  of  the  oblong 

halves  ;  the  one  may  be  said  to  be  lying  (Fig. 

56)  while  the  other  is  standing,    (Fig.  57). 


.,,.. 

|!|MP 

in, 

Kill 

'.;'i 

iiiiiiiiid: 

nimii  iiiuiiiiiii 

ill 

IP 

"111 

1 

Fig.  56. 

lange 

a 

lyin 

Fig.  57. 
to    a    standing    oblong 
block."      In  order  to  dp  this,  the  child  will 
move  the  first  so  as  to  describe  a  quarter  of  a 
circle  to  the  right  or  left. 


Fig.   58. 
Unite  two  blocks  by  joining  their  small  sides. 
You   then  have  a  large   lying    oblong  block, 
(Fig.  58). 


I       I:,     1," 


Fig.  59. 
"Separate  again  (Fig.  59)  and  divide  each 
part  into  halves,  (Figs.  60  and  61).    You  have 
now  four   parts    called    quarters,    and  these 
are  squares,  in  their  surface  form." 


Fig.  60. 
Each  of  these  quarters  may  be  subdivided, 
and  the  children  taught  the  method  of  division 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


113 


Fig.  62. 


i    ii 


Fie.  61, 


Fig.   63. 


Fig.   64. 


by  two.    Other 
material  may 
also  be  used  in 
counecti  on 
with  the  blocks 
such  as  apples, 
or  a n y  small 
objects  which 
serve  to  illus- 
trate the  pro- 
perties of  num- 
ber.    It  is  evi- 
dent that  these 
oper  ations 
should  be  con- 
ducted  in    the 
most  natural 
way,  and  never 
begun  at  too 
early  a  stage  of 
development  of 
the  little  ones. 
In  Figs.    62-65 
another  mode  is 
indicated,   for 
the  purpose  of 
illustrating  fur- 
ther the  condi- 
tionsof  form  connected 
with  this    gift.    Figs. 
66-81  show  the  manner 
in  which  exercises    in 
addition  and  substrac- 
tion  may  be  introduced 
as  has  already  been  alluded  to  in  the 
description  of  the  Third  Gift. 

FORMS    OF    BEAUTY. 

We  first  ascertain,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  cubes,  the  various  modes  in  which 
the  oblong  blocks  can  be  brought  in 
relation  to  each  other.  These  are 
much   more   numerous  than    in    the 


114 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Third  Gift,  because  of  the  greater  variety  in 
the  dimensions  of  the  parts.  In  the  follow- 
ing designs  a  number  of  forms  of  beauty  are 
shown  derivable  from  the  original  form,  (Fig. 
82).  Each  two  blocks  form  a  separate  group, 
which  four  groups  touching  in  the  center,  form 
a  large  square.  The  outside  blocks  (a)  move 
in  Figs.  83-90,  around  the  stationary  middle. 

The  inside  blocks  (b)  are  now  drawn  out 
(Fig.  91)  then  the  blocks  (a)  united  to  form 
a  hollow  square  (Fig.  92)  around  which  b 
moves  gradually  (Figs  93  and  94). 

Now  b  is  combined  into  a  cross  with  open 
center,  a  goes  out  (Fig.  95)  and  moves  in 
an  opposite  direction  until  Fig.  98  appears. 

By  extricating  b  the  eight-rayed  star  (Fig. 
99)  is  formed.  In  Fig.  100  a  revolves,  b  is 
drawn  out  until  edge  touches  edge  and  thus 
the  form  of  a  flower  appears  (Fig.  101). 

Now  b  is  turned  (Fig.  102)  and  in  Fig.  103, 
a  wreath  is  shown.  In  Fig.  103  the  inside 
edges  touch  each  other ;    in  Fig.    104,  inside 


and  outside ;  in  Fig.  105  edges  with  sides, 
and  b  is  united  to  a  large  hollow  square,  around 
which  a  commences  a  regular  moving.  In 
Fig.  110,  a  is  finally  united  to  a  lying  cross, 
and  thereby  another  starting-point  gained  for 
a  new  series  of  developments. 

Each  of  these  figures  can  be  subjected  to  a 
variety  of  changes  by  simply  placing  the  blocks 
on  their  long  or  short  sides,  or  as  the  children 
will  say,  by  letting  them  stand  up  or  lie  down. 
The  network  of  lines  on  the  table  is  to  be 
the  constant  guide,  in  the  construction  of 
forms.  In  inventing  a  new  series,  place  a 
block  above,  below,  at  the  right  or  left  of  the 
center ;  and  a  second  opposite  and  equidis- 
tant. A  third  and  a  fourth  are  placed  at  the 
right  and  left  of  these,  but  in  the  same  posi- 
tion relative  to  the  center.  The  remaining 
four  are  placed  symmetrically  about  those  first 
laid.  By  moving  the  «'s  or  b's  regularly  in 
either  direction,  a  variety  of  figures  may  be 
formed. 


Fig.  82. 


Fie.  83. 


Fie.  84. 


Fie.  85. 


Fie.  86. 


Fie.  92. 


Fie.  93. 


Fie.  94. 


Pie.  95. 


Fig.  96. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


115 


Fig.  97 


Fig.  98. 


Fig.  99. 


Fio-.  100. 


Fig-.  101. 


1    : 

I         I         ] 

.  > 

N 

^^T 

K 

s 

■J 

'  "-■-  "'m 

■ 

\ 

1 

1  - 

Ifcl  ! 

<s 

' 

^H 

s 

' 

^ 

*  EUA-M 

/ 

1     1    1     1 

_1 

1 

Fig.  102. 


Fio-.  103. 


Fio-.  104. 


Fig.  105. 


Fig.  106.  Fig.  107.  Fig.  108. 

EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


Fig.  109. 


Fig.  110. 


"While  we  find  that  the  eight  equal  parts  of 
the  third  gift  are  of  the  same  form  as  the  whole, 
this  gift  shows  eight  parts  in  the  form  of  par- 
allelopipeds-solids,  with  three  unequal  dimen- 
sions, which  constitute  the  chief  characteristic 
of  the  gift,  and  adds  to  both  gift  and  play  a 
new  and  original  importance. 

In  this  as  in  all  the  building  gifts,  every  part 
should  be  used,  and  when  the  boxes  have  been 
distributed  they  should  be  opened  in  such  a  way 
that  the  cube  stands  before  the  child  as  a  whole, 
so  that  he  may  begin  his  work  as  a  whole. 
Call  attention  to  its  being  divided  according  to 
a  new  plan,  and  to  the  form  of  the  component 
parts,  which  the  child  easily  recognizes  as  be- 
ing that  of  a  brick. 

Let  a  cube  of  the  third  gift  be  handed  to  the 
children  so  that  they  may  compare  it  with  the  ob- 
long brick  of  this  gift ;  ask  for  similarities  and 


differences ;  the  unequal  dimensions  in  these 
bricks  make  it  necessary  for  the  child  to  pro- 
ceed with  more  reflection,  to  compare,  and  to 
experiment,  in  order  to  produce  a  symmetrical 
result.  If  two  cubes  are  given,  the  children 
will  readily  see  that  two  bricks  laid  one  above 
the  other  are  just  as  large  as  two  cubes  laid 
side  by  side,  and  in  this  way  the  truth  is  made 
evident  that  the  solid  contents  are  the  same. 

While  in  the  third  gift  the  solid  appears 
most  prominently,  in  this  gift  the  idea  of  sur- 
face is  suggested.  Every  face  is  an  oblong, 
and  the  variety  of  size  makes  more  clear  the 
form  itself,  so  the  child  gains  as  true  a  con- 
cept of  an  oblong  as  of  a  square. 

To  impress  on  the  child  the  differences  of 
position  which  each  brick  can  occupy,  let  the 
bricks  stand,  as  soldiers,  sit  or  lie  flat,  as  if 
asleep.     Give  the  child  a  cube,  and  ask  him  to 


116 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


do  the  same  with  that.  He  finds  it  always  re- 
mains the  same  on  whichever  of  its  faces  it  may 
rest ;  thus  new  lessons  are  taught  him,  and 
he  is  made  to  understand  length  and  breadth 
more  clearly.  The  different  dimensions  in  the 
bricks  make  the  variety  and  number  of  possi- 
ble figures  with  this  gift  almost  incalculable. 
Many  philosophical  truths  may  be  illustrated, 
as  the  law  of  equilibrium — when  a  narrow  face 
has  to  support  a  broader  one  ;  or  continuous 
motion — by  setting  a  row  of  blocks  on  end. and 
pushing  the  first  one  against  the  other,  causing 
the    whole  row  to  fall. 

As  an  exercise  in  the  relation  of  size,  let  the 
children  separate  the  cube  into  halves.,  which 
may  be  done  by  a  vertical  or  horizontal  divis- 
ion, and  gives  rise  to  suggestive  questions  and 
instructive  observations  ;  these  halves  may  be 
separated  again  and  divided  into  quarters,  and 
again  into  eighths  ;  in  this  manner  the  children 
are  brought  to  comprehend  successive  divi- 
sions by  two.  These  exercises  admit  of  many 
variations. 

Let  the  pupils  find  the  different  ways  in  which 
two  bricks  may  be  placed  with  regard  to  each 
other,  and  build  forms  while  the  teacher  talks 
with  them  about  the  objects  represented,  so  as 
to  awaken  thought  within  them. 

Let  the  children  work  out  for  themselves 
with  the  blocks,  a  sequence  of  moves  illustrating 
a  story,  or  a  sequence  of  thought  given  by  the 
teacher.  In  this  way  they  come  to  know  the 
form  as  regards  dimensions,  faces  and  relation 
of  parts  to  the  whole. 

A  fresh  delight  conies  to  the  child  when  he 
discovers  how  one  object  may  be  transformed 
into  another,  and  particularly  when  there  is 
some  connection  between  each  new  figure  and 
the  child  himself,  who  must  have  a  clear  insight 
into  the  most  simple  and  natural  relations  of 
things,  that  the  sight  of  things  more  com- 
plicated may  not  confuse  him  and  hinder  his 
development.  The  following  sequences  are 
suggestive  and  render  it  easy  to  find  such 
connections. 

FUKNITUEE  SEQUENCE. 

Bureau. — Cube,  with  cut  running  right  and 
left.  Draw  the  front  half  away.  Let  a  brick 
stand  at  either  end  of  the  back  half  touching 
it  by  the  broad  face.  Join  the  two  remaining 
bricks  by  their  long  narrow  faces  and  place  on 
top  for  a  mirror,  Fig.  111. 


Washstand. — Let  the  two  bricks  which 
formed  the  mirror  stand  directly  back  of  the 
lying  bricks,  touching  them  by  their  broad  faces. 
Let  the  top  brick  sit  on  the  standing  back  bricks, 
Fig.  112. 


f^l 


Fig.    111.  Fig.   112. 

Writing-Desk. — Lift  sitting  brick  in  the 
right  hand,  and  the  two  bricks  below  it  in  the 
left  hand.  Let  the  two  bricks  lie  on  the  re- 
maining pile,  projecting  an  inch  in  front,  the 
cut  running  front  and  back.  Let  the  remain- 
ing brick  sit  on  them  at  the  back,  so  its  broad 
face  coincides  with  their  short  faces,   Fig.  113. 

Hat-back. — Lift  the  three  bricks  just  placed. 
Let  two  stand'  at  the  back  as  before.  Lift  the 
top  brick,  join  it  to  the  remaining  brick  by  long 
narrow  faces,  aud  let  them  sit  on  the  back 
bricks,  Fig.  114. 


\s_ 


Fig.  113.  Fig.  114. 

Chair  and  Table. — Join  right  and  left 
bricks  by  their  broad  faces.  Let  them  lie, 
right  and  left,  two  inches  in  •front  of  form. 
Lift  the  two  top  bricks  and  let  them  lie  across 
the  two  front  bricks,  the  cut  running  front  and 
back,  Fig.    115. 

Two  Chairs. — Make  a  chair  of  the  front 
bricks,  facing  and  similar  to  the  chair  of  the 
four  back  bricks,    Fig.  116. 


F 

T71\ 

hi 

Fig.   115.  Fig.  116. 

Bed. — Remove  the  back  of  the  front  chair. 

Place  the  top  brick  in  the  back  chair  cushion,  so 

that  it  touches  the  standing  bricks  by  its  broad 

face.     Place    the  top  front   brick  so  that  its 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


11? 


broad  face  coincides  with  the  narrow  front  face 
of  the  brick  below  it.      Fit  in  the  remaining 


Fig.   117. 
bricks  for  a  mattress,  the  cut   running    front 
and  back,  Fig.  117.     Then  comes  the  orderly 
building  of  the  cube. 

.BAKER    SEQUENCE. 

Shop. — Cube,  cut  running  right  and  left, 
Fig.   118. 

Eight  Drawers. — Remove  the  front  half, 
placing  it  one  inch  to  the  right  of  the  back  half, 
in  similar  position,   Fig.  119. 


U. 


Fig.    118.  Fig.  119. 

Two  Counters. — Let  the  right  and  left  bricks 
touch  b}T  their  short  faces.  Place  the  top  half 
two  inches  in  front  of  the  lower  half,  running- 
right  and  left,   Fig.  120. 

Four  Loaves. — Draw  the  two  back  right 
bricks  one  inch  to  the  right.  The  front  bricks 
the  same,    Fig.  121. 


Fig.    120.  Fig.    121. 

Table. — Push  the  bricks  together  forming 
aprism  4x1x1,  Fig.   122. 

Baking  Sheets. — Place  the  top  half  two 
inches  back  of  the  lower  half,  Fig.  123. 


-^          ^          A 

^          / 

A  > 

s' 

Fig.   122.  Fig.   123. 

Molding  Board. — Push  the  front  and  back 
halves  together,  Fig.  124. 


Fig.   124. 

Rolling  Pin. — Place    the    two  front  right 

bricks  at  the  right  of  and  touching  the  back 

right  bricks  by  their  short  faces.    Place  front 

left  brick  at  the  right  of  those  just  placed,  the 


short  faces  just  touching.   Place  the  remaining 
brick  at  the  left  in  a  similar  position,  Fig.  125. 


Fig.    125. 

Mixing  Trough. — Join  the  two  end  bricks 
by  their  short  faces  and  let  them  sit  back  of  the 
four  left  hand  bricks  touching  by  broad  faces. 
Let  the  two  front  left  1  tricks  sit  opposite  those 
just  placed.  Take  one  of  the  right  hand  bricks 
in  each  hand,  and  let  them  sit  at  either  end  of 
the  trough,  closing  the  opening,  Fig.   126. 

Flour  Scoops. — Draw  the  right  half,  one 
inch  to  the  right,   Fig  127. 

<S5_ 


Fig.    126.  Fig.    127. 

Wagon'. — Place  the  left-hand  brick  directly 
at  the  left  of  the  right  half,  so  that  it  shall 
touch  it  with  the  broad  face.  Remove  the 
brick  lying  at  the  left  between  the  two  sitting 
bricks,  and  place  it  front  and  back  across  the 
middle  of  the  wagon.  The  two  remaining  left 
bricks  serve  as  horses,  Fig.  128. 


Fig.   128.  Fig.   129. 

Money  Chest. — Lift  one  of  the  left  hand 
bricks  in  each  hand,  place  one  right  and  left 
of  the  wagon  seat,  touching  it  by  long  narrow 
faces.  This  lid  may  be  raised  or  lowered  at 
will,  Fig.  129.     Return  to  cube. 

HOUSE  BUILDING  AND  FURNISHING 
SEQUENCE. 

House. — Cube  with  the  cutting  right  and 
left,  Fig.  130. 


Fig.   130.  Fig.   131. 

Piazza. — Lift  the  top  half,  place  it  directly 
in  front  of  and  touching  the  lower  half,  cut 
running  right  and  left.   Fig.  131. 

Open  Door. — Lift  the  two  front  bricks,  and 
let  them  stand  on  the  back  brick,  one  inch 
apart,  with  the  long  narrow  faces  in  front. 
Lift  the  top  front  brick  and  let  it  lie  across  the 
standing  bricks,   Fig.   132. 


118 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Four  Tables. — Move  the  five  back  bricks 
oue  inch  back,  move  the  front  brick  one  inch 
front.  Place  the  brick  which  forms  the  top  of 
the  door  on  the  front  brick,  touching  it  by  the 
broad  face.  Join  the  standing  bricks  by  broad 
faces  and  let  them  lie  one  inch  back  of  the  back 
bricks,  Fig.   133. 


2 

■■ 

1 

S"              gd 

i              M 

Fig.   132.  Fig.   133. 

Car-seats. — Let  the  upper  back  brick  sit 
directly  behind  the  lower  back  brick.  Arrange 
remaining  bricks  in  like  manner,    Fig.  134. 

Two  Long  Seats. — Lift  the  back  seat,  plac- 
ing it  beside  the  seat  directly  in  front  of  it,  so 
that  they  will  touch  by  short  faces.  Join  the  two 
remaining  seats  in  like  manner,    Fig.    135. 


Fig.   134.  Fig.  135. 

Sofa,  with  Arms  and  Table. — Remove  the 
front,  sitting  bricks,  and  let  one  sit  at  either 
end  of  the  back  seat  touching  it  by  broad  faces, 
the  short  faces  being  in  front.  Let  two  front 
bricks  touch  one  another  by  broad  faces,  form- 
ing the  table,  Fig.  136. 


Fig.  136. 
Two  Skats  With  Arms. — Draw  three  right 
hand  bricks,  two  inches  to  the  right.  Let  the 
brick  which  forms  the  top  of  the  table,  sit  at 
the  left  hand  end  of  the  bricks  just  moved, 
touching  them  by  broad  faces.  Left  hand  sec- 
tion the  same,  Fig.   137. 


Fig.   137. 
Two  Marble  Basins. — Draw  out  the  brick 
which  forms  the  right-hand  seat,  and  let  it  sit 
one  inch  in  front  of  the  back  brick, similar  posi- 


tion.     Left  hand   section  the  same,  Fig.    138. 

Two  Windows. — Holding    the     right-hand 

bricks  firmly  together,  place  them  in  an  upright 


Fig.   138. 
position,  so  that  the  bricks  which  were  right 
and  left,  form  the  top  and  bottom  of  a  window. 
Same  with  the  left  bricks,  Fig.  139. 

High  Window. — Place  the  left-hand  window 
on  top  of  the  right-hand  window,  Fig.  140. 


Fig.    139.  Fig.    140. 

Vestibule — Place  the  top  half  of  the  win- 
dow directly  in  front  of  and  touching  the  lower 
half,   Fig.   141. 

Band  Stand. — Let  the  two  top  bricks  lie 
directly  in  front  of  and  touching  the  lower 
bricks.  Remove  the  standing  bricks.  Let 
one  lie  right  and  left  across  the  cut  between 
the  two  front  bricks,  another  across  the  cut  be- 
tween the  two  back  bricks.  Let  the  two  re- 
maining bricks  lie  across  the  opening  front 
and  back,  Fig.  142.     Return  to  cube. 


Fig.   141.  Fig.   142. 

The  children  take  pleasure  in  uniting,  and 
building  with  this  gift :  also,  with  the  third  and 
fourth  combined,  when  they  have  become  suffi- 
ciently acquainted  with  each  separately  ;  com- 
bining the  gifts  gives  them  an  opportunity  of 
comparing  the  cube  and  brick  more  closely, and 
so  learn  their  properties  and  pecluiarities  1  tet- 
ter, than  by  the  use  of  each  separately. 

One  will  build  a  church,  another  a  stove,  a 
shop  or  house,  and  so  a  group  of  children  will 
have  a  unity  of  purpose  which  is  harmonizing 
in  its  effects. 


THE  FIFTH  GIFT. 
CUBE,  TWICE  DIVIDED  IN  EACH  DIRECTION. 


All  gifts  used  as  occupation  material  in 
the  Kindergarten  develop,  as  previously  stated, 
one  from  another.  The  Fifth  Gift,  like  that 
of  the  Third  and  Fourth  Gifts,  consists  of  a 
cube  again,  although  larger  than  the  previous 
ones.  The  cube  of  the  Third  Gift  was  divided 
once  in  all  directions.  The  natural  progress 
from  1  is  to  2  ;  hence  the  cube  of  the  Fifth 
Gift  is  divided  twice  in  all  directions ;  conse- 
quently, in  three  equal  parts,  each  consisting 
of  nine  smaller  cubes  of  equal  size.  But  as 
this  division  would  only  have  multiplied,  not 
diversified,  the  occupation  material,  it  was 
necessary  to  introduce  a  new  element,  by  sub- 
dividing some  of  the  cubes  in  a  slanting  di- 
rection. 

We  have  heretofore  introduced  only  verti- 
cal and  horizontal  lines.  These  opposites, 
however,  require  their  mediate  element,  and 
this  mediation  was  already  indicated  in  the 
forms  of  life  and  of  beauty  of  the  Third  and 
Fourth  Gifts,  when  side  and  edge,  or  edge 
and  side,  were  brought  to  touch  each  other. 
The  slanting  direction  appearing  there  transi- 
tionally — occasionally — here,  becomes  perma- 
nent by  introducing  the  slanting  line,  sepa- 
rated by  the  division  of  the  body,  as  a  bodily 
reality. 


Fig.  1. 

Three  of  the  part  cubes  of  the  Fifth  Gift 
are  divided  into  half  cubes,  three  others  into 
quarter  cubes,  so  that  there  are  left  twenty- 
one  whole  cubes  of  the  twenty-seven,  produced 
by  the  division  of  the  cube  mentioned  before, 
and  the  whole  Gift  consists  of  thirty-nine 
single  pieces. 

It  is  most  convenient  to  pack  them  in  the 
box,  so  as  to  have  all  half  and  quarter  cuius 
and  three  whole  cubes  in  the  bottom  row,  as 
in  Fig.  1,  which  only  admits  of  separating  the 
whole  cube  in  the  various  ways  required  here- 


after, as  it  will  also  assist  in  placing  the  cube 
upon  the  table,  which  is  done  in  the  same 
manner  as  described  with  the  previous  Gifts. 
The  first  practice  with  this  Gift  is  like  that 
with  others  introduced  thus  far.  Led  by  the 
question  of  the  teacher,  the  pupils  state  that 
this  cube  is  larger  than  their  other  cubes  ;  and 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  divided  will  next  at- 
tract their  attention.  They  state  how  many 
times  the  cube  is  divided  in  each  direction, 
how  many  parts  we  have  if  we  separate  it 
according  to  these  various  divisions,  and  cai'- 
rying  out  what  we  say  gives  them  the  neces- 
sary assistance  for  answering  these  questions 
correctly.  In  Fig.  2  the  three  parts  of  the  cube 
have  been  separated  and  laid  side  by  side. 


Fig.  2. 

These  three  squares  we  can  again  divide 
in  three  parts,  and  these  latter  again  in  three, 
so  that  then  we  shall  have  twenty-seven  parts, 
which  teaches  the  pupil  that  3X3=9,  3X9 
=  27. 

To  some,  the  repetition  of  the  apparently 
simple  exercises  may  appear  superfluous  ;  but 
repetition  alone,  in  this  simple  manner,  will 
assist  children  to  remember,  and  it  is  always 
interesting,  as  they  have  not  to  deal  with  ab- 
stractions, but  have  real  things  to  look  at  for 
the  formatiou  of  their  conclusions. 

But,  again  I  say,  do  not  continue  these  oc- 
cupations any  longer  than  you  can  command 
the  attention  of  your  pupils  by  them.  As  soon 
as  signs  of  fatigue  or  lack  of  interest  become 
manifest,  drop  the  subject  at  once,  and  leave 
the  Gift  to  the  pupils  for  their  own  amuse- 
ment. If  you  act  according  to  this  advice, 
your  pupils  never  will  overexert  themselves, 
and  will  always  come  with  enlivened  interest 
to  the  same  occupation  whenever  it  is  again 
taken  up. 

After  the  children  have  become  acquainted 
with  the  manner  of  division  of  their  new  large 
cube,  and  have  exercised  with  it  in  the  above- 
mentioned  way,  their  attention  is  drawn  to  the 


120 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


shape  of  the  divided  half  and  quarter  cubes. 

They  are  divided  by  means  of  slanting  lines, 
which  should  be  made  particularly  prominent, 
and  the  pupils  are  then  asked  to  point  out,  on 
the  whole  cubes,  in  what  manner  they  were  di- 
vided in  order  to  form  half  and  quarter  cubes. 
The  pupils  also  point  out  horizontal,  vertical 
and  slanting  lines  which  they  observe  in  things 
in  the  room  or  other  near  objects. 

Take  the  two  halves  of  your  cube  apart  and 
say,  "How  many  corners  and  angles  can  you 
count  on  the  upper  and  lower  sides  of  these 
two  half  cubes?"  "Three."  Three  corners  and 
three  angles,  which  latter,  you  recollect,  are 
the  insides  of  corners.  We  call  therefore,  the 
upper  and  lower  side  of  the  half  cube  a  tri- 
angle, which  simply  means  a  side  or  plane 
with  three  angles.  The  child  has  now  enriched 
its  knowledge  of  lines  by  the  introduction  of 
the  oblique  or  slanting  line,  in  addition  to  the 
horizontal  and  vertical  lines,  and  of  si,des  or 
planes  by  the  introduction  of  the  triangle,  in 
addition  to  the  square  and  oblong  previously 
introduced.  With  the  introduction  of  the  tri- 
angle, a  great  treasure  for  the  development  of 
forms  is  added,  on  account  of  its  frequent  oc- 
currence as  elementary  forms  in  all  the  many 
formations  of  regular  objects. 

The  child  is  expected  to  know  this  Gift  now 
sufficiently  to  employ  it  for  the  production  of 
the  various  forms  of  life  and  beauty  to  be  in- 
troduced. 

FORMS  OF  LIFE. 

The  main  condition  here,  as  alwaj'S,  is  that 
for  each  representation  the  whole  of  the  occu- 
pation material  be  employed  ;  not  that  only 
one  object  should  always  be  built,  but  in  such 
manner  that  remaining  pieces  be  always  used 
to  represent  accessory  parts,  although  apart 
from,  yet  in  a  certain   relation  to  the  main 


Cube. 


Fig.  3. 


position  actively  and  effectively  in  relation  to 
some  greater"  whole. 

Nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  nothing 
should  be  destroyed,  but  everything  produced 
by  rebuilding.  It  is  advisable  always  to  start 
with  the  figure  of  the  cube. 


Fig.  4. 


Flower-stand. 


Fig.  5. 


Large  Chair. 


Fig.   6. 
Easy  Chair,  with  Foot  Bench. 


Fig.  7. 


figure.  The  child  should,  again  and  again,  be  A  Bed.  Lowest  row,  fifteen  whole  cubes; 
reminded  that  nothing  belonging  to  a  whole  second  row,  six  whole  and  six  half  cubes  corn- 
is,  or  could  be,  allowed  to  be  superfluous,  but  posed  of  twelve  quarter  cubes  ;  third  row,  six 
that  each  individual  part  is  destined  to  fill  its  half  cubes. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


121 


Sofa.     First  row,   sixteen  whole  and   two 
half  cubes. 


Fiir.  9. 


A  Well. 


Fig-.    10. 
House,  with  Yard.    First  row,  twelve  whole 
cubes  ;    second  row,  nine  whole  and  six  half 
cubes  ;  roof,  twelve  quarter  cubes. 


fr 


Fig.  13. 

Church.  Building  itself,  eighteen  whole 
cubes  ;  roof,  twelve  quarter  cubes  ;  steeple, 
three  whole  cubes,  and  three  half  cubes  ;  vestry 
three  half  cubes. 


Fig.  14. 


Fis;.   15. 


Body  of  Church.  Eight  whole,  four  half  and 
eight  quarter  cubes  ;  steeples,  twice  five  whole 
and  two  half  cubes  ;  between  steeples,  three 
whole  and  four  quarter  cubes.  Fig.  15,  ground 
plan. 


A  Peasant's  House.  First  row,  ten  whole 
cubes  ;  second  row,  eight  whole  and  two  half 
cubes;  roof,  three  whole,  four  half  aud  twelve 
quarter  cubes. 


Fig.  1G. 

Pier    1  9 

»'  Factory,  with  Chimney  and    Boiler-house. 

Schoolhouse.   First  row,  nine  whole  and  six  Factory,   sixteen  whole  cubes ;  roof,  six  half 

quarter  cubes;  second  row,  nine  whole  cubes;  and  four  quarter  cubes;   chimney,  live  whole 

third  row,   three   whole   and  six  half  cubes;  and   two    quarter    cubes;    boiler-house,    four 

fourth  row,    six  quarter  cubes.  quarter  cubes;  roof,  two  quarter  cubes. 


122 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  17. 
Chapel,  with  Hermitage. 


Fig.  21. 
City  Gate,  with  Three  Entrances. 


i  icnr  c  c 

3^     j 

Fis.  22. 


Arsenal. 


Fig.  18. 
Two  Garden  Houses,  with  Rows  of  Trees. 


i 

-I" 

m 

-i 

1  I 
i 

i 

Fig.  23. 

City  (late,  with  Two  Guard-houses. 


Fi£.  19. 


A  Castle. 


Fie.   20. 


Cloister  in  Ruins. 


Fig.  24. 

A  Monument.  First  row,  nine  whole  and 
four  half  cubes  ;  second  to  fourth  row,  each, 
four  whole  cubes ;  on  either  side,  two  quarter 
cubes,  united  to  a  square  column,  and  to  unite 
the  four  columns,  two  half  cubes. 


PARADISE  OF   CHILDHOOD. 


123 


Fig.  25. 

A  Monument.  First  row, nine  whole  and  four 
quarter  cubes  ;  second  row,  live  whole  and  four 
half  cubes  ;  third  row,  four  whole  cubes  ;  fourth 
row,  two  half  and  four  quarter  cubes. 


Fig.  26. 

A  Large  Cross.  First  row,  uiue  whole  and 
four  times  three  quarter  cubes ;  second  row, 
four  whole  cubes ;  third  row,  four  half  cubes. 

Tables,  chairs,  sofas  aud  beds,  are  the  first 
objects  the  child  builds.  They  are  the  objects 
with  which  he  is  most  familiar.  Then  the  child 
builds  a  house,  iu  which  he  lives,  speaking  of 
kitchen,  sleeping-room,  parlor,  aud  eating- 
room,  when  representing  it.  Soon  the  realm  of 
his  ideas  widens.  It  roves  into  garden,  street, 
etc.,  It  builds  the  church,  the  schoolhouse, 
where  the  older  brothers  and  sisters  are  in- 
structed ;  the  factory,  and  arsenal,  from  which, 
at  noon  and  after  the  days's  work  is  over,  so 
many  laborers  walk  out  to  their  homes  to  eat 
their  dinner  and  supper,  to   rest  from   their 


work,  and  to  play  with  their  little  children. 
The  ideas  which  the  children  receive  of  all 
these  objects  by  this  occupation,  grow  more 
collect  by  studying  them  in  their  details,  where 
they  meet  with  them  in  reality.  In  all  this 
they  are,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  be  assisted 
by  the  instructive  conversation  of  the  teacher. 
It  is  not  to  be  forgotten  that  the  teacher  may 
influence  the  minds  of  the  children  very  favor- 
ably, by  relating  short  stories  about  things  and 
persons  in  connection  with  the  object  repre- 
sented. Not  their  minds  alone  are  to  be  dis- 
ciplined ;  their  hearts  are  to  be  developed,  and 
each  beautiful  and  noble  feeling  encouraged 
and  strengthened. 

Be  it  remembered  again  that  it  is  not  neces- 
sary that  the  teacher  should  always  follow  the 
course  of  development  shown  in  the  figures 
on  our  pages.  Every  course  is  acceptable, 
if  only  destruction  is  prevented  and  rebuilding 
adhered  to.  Some  of  the  figures  may  not  be 
familiar  to  some  of  the  children.  The  one  has 
never  seen  a  castle  or  a  city  gate,  a  well  or  a 
monument.  Short  descriptive  stories  about 
such  objects  will  introduce  the  child  into  a 
new  sphere  of  ideas,  and  stimulate  the  desire 
to  see  and  hear  more  and  more,  thus  adding 
daily  and  hourly,  to  the  stock  of  knowledge  of 
which  he  is  already  possessed.  Thus,  these 
plays  will  not  only  cultivate  the  manual  dex- 
terity of  the  child,  develop  his  eye.  excite  his 
fantasy,  strengthen  his  power  of  invention, 
but  the  accompanying  oral  illustrations  will 
also  instruct  him,  and  create  in  him  a  love  for 
the  good,  the  noble,  the  beautiful. 

The  Fifth  Gift  is  used  with  children  from 
five  to  six  years  old,  who  are  expected  to  be 
in  their  third  year  in  the  Kindergarten. 

A  box,  with  its  contents  stands  on  the  table 
before  each  child.  They  empty  the  box  as 
heretofore  described,  so  that  the  bottom  row 
of  the  cube,  containing  the  half  and  quarter 
cubes,  is  made  the  top  row. 

"What  have  you  now?"' 

'*A  cube." 

"We  will  build  a  church.  Take  oft'  all  quar- 
ter and  half  cubes,  and  place  them  on  the 
table  before  you  in  good  order.  Move  the  three 
whole  cubes  of  the  upper  row  together,  so  that 
they  are  all  to  the  left  of  the  other  cubes.  Take 
three  more  whole  cubes  from  the  right  side, 
and  put  them  beside  the  three  cubes  which 
were  left  of  the  upper  row.  Take  the  three  re- 


124 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


maining  cubes,  which  were  on  the  right  side, 
and  add  them  to  the  quarter  and  half  cubes. 
What  have  you  now?" 

"A  house  without  roof,  three  cubes  high, 
three  cubes  long  and  two  cubes  broad." 

"We  will  now  make  the  roof.  Place  on  each 
of  the  six  upper  cubes  a  quarter  cube  with  its 
largest  side.  Fill  up  the  space  between  each 
two  quarter  cubes  with  another  quarter  cube, 
and  place  another  quarter  cube  on  top  of  it. 
What  have  you  now?" 

"A  house  with  roof." 

"How  many  cubes  are  yet  remaining?" 

"Three  whole  and  six  half  cubes." 

"Take  the  whole  cubes,  and  place  them  one 
on  top  of  the  other,  before  the  house.  Add 
another  cube,  made  of  two  half  cubes,  and 
cover  the  top  with  half  a  cube  for  a  roof. 
What  have  you  now?" 

"A  steeple." 

"We  will  employ  the  remaining  three  half 
cubes  to  build  the  entrance.  Take  two  of  the 
half  cubes,  form  a  whole  cube  of  them,  and 
place  it  on  the  other  side  of  the  house,  oppo- 
site the  steeple,  and  lay  upon  it  the  last  half 
cube  as  a  roof.     What  have  we  built  now?" 

"A  church  with  steeple  and  entrance." 
(Fig.  13). 

FORMS  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

The  representation  of  the  forms  of  knowl- 
edge, to  which  the  Fifth  Gift  offers  oppor- 
tunity, is  of  great  advantage  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  child.  To  superficial  observers,  it  is 
true,  it  may  appear  as  if  Frcrbel  not  only  as- 
cribed too  much  importance  to  the  mathemati- 
cal element  to  the  disadvantage  of  others,  but 
that  mathematics  necessarily  require  a  greater 
maturity  of  understanding  than  could  be  found 
with  children  of  the  Kindergarten  age.  But 
who  thinks  of  introducing  mathematics  as  a 
science?  Many  a  child, five  or  six  years  of  age, 
has  heard  that  the  moon  revolves  around  the 
earth,  that  a  locomotive  is  propelled  by  steam, 
and  that  lightning  is  the  effect  of  electricity. 
These  astronomical,  dynamic  and  physical 
facts  have  been  presented  to  him  as  mathe- 
matical facts  are  presented  to  his  observation 
in  FrcebeFs  Gifts.  Most  assuredly  it  would 
be  folly,  if  one  would  introduce  in  the  Kinder- 
garten, mathematical  problems  in  the  usual 
abstract  manner.  In  the  Kindergarten,  the 
child  beholds  the  bodily  representation  of  an 
expressed  truth,  recognizes  the  same,  receives 


it  without  difficulty,  without  overtaxing  its 
developing  mind  in  any  manner  whatsoever. 
AVhatever  would  be  difficult  for  the  child  to 
derive  from  the  mere  word,  nay,  which  might 
under  certain  circumstances  be  hurtful  to  the 
young  mind,  is  taught  naturally  and  in  an  easy 
manner  by  the  forms  of  knowledge,  which 
thus  become  the  best  means  of  exercising  the 
child's  power  of  observation,  reasoning,  and 
judging.  Beware  of  all  problems  and  abstrac- 
tions. The  child  builds,  forms,  sees,  observes, 
compares,  and  then  expresses  the  truth  it  has 
ascertained.  By  repetition,  these  truths,  ac- 
quired by  the  observation  of  facts,  become 
the  child's  mental  property,  and  this  is  not  to 
be  done  hurriedly,  but  during  the  last  two 
years  in  the  Kindergarten  and  afterwards  in 
the  Primary  Department. 

The  first  seven  forms  of  knowledge  (Figs. 
27-33)  show  the  regular  divisions  of  the  cube 
in  three,  nine  and  twTenty-seven  parts.  In 
either  case,  a  whole  cube  was  employed,  and 
yet  the  forms  produced  by  division  are  dif- 
ferent. This  shows  that  the  contents  may  be 
equal,  when  forms  are  different.  (Figs.  28, 
29,  30,  31  and  32). 


Fig.  29. 

<  <  <  '-^  <*7?.  ^ 


Fie.  30. 


Fig.  31. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


125 


Fig.  32. 


Fig.  33. 

This  difference  becomes  still  more  obvious  if 
the  three  parts  of  Fig.  28  are  united  to  a  stand- 
ing oblong,  or  those  of  Fig.  29  to  a  lying  ob- 
long, or  if  a  siuole  long  beam  is  formed  of 
Fig.   30. 

"Take  a  cube  children,  place  it  before  you, 
and  also  a  cube  divided  in  two  halves,  and  place 
the  two  halves  with  their  triangular  planes  or 
sides,  one  upon  another." 

These  two  halves  united  are  just  as  large 
as  the  whole  cube. 

But  the  two  halves  may  be  united,  also,  in 
other  ways.  They  may  touch  each  other  with 
their  quadratic  and  right  angular  planes. 

Represent  these  different  ways  of  uniting  the 
two  halves  of  the  cube  simultaneously.  Not- 
withstanding the  difference  in  the  forms,  the 
contents  of  mass  of  matter  remained  the  same. 

In  a  still  more  multiform  manner,  this  fact 
may  be  illustrated  with  the  cubes  divided  in 
four  parts.  Similar  exercises  follow  now  with 
the  whole  Gift,  and  the  children  are  led  to  find 
out  all  possible  divisions  in  two,  three,  four, 
five, nine  and  twelve  equal  parts.  (Figs.  34-44). 


Fig.   34. 


Fig.  35. 


Fig.   36. 


Fig.  37. 


Fig.  38. 


Fig.  39. 


^^^f^m 


Fig.  40. 


Fig.  41, 


Fiff.  42. 


Fis;.  43. 


After  each  such  division  the  equal  parts  are 
to  be  placed  one  upon  another,  for  dividing  and 
separating  are  always  to  be  followed  by  a  pro- 
cess of  combining  and  reuniting.  The  child  thus 
receives  every  time,  a  transformation  of  the 
whole  cube,  representing  the  same  amount  of 
matter  in  various  forms.     (Figs.  45-48). 


126 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


-^--; 

"    /    /    /\ 

/    /    /    / 

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Fig.  45. 


Fig.  46. 


X 

Fig.  51. 


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Fig.  47. 


Fig.  48. 


The  child  should  also  be  allowed  to  compare 
with  each  other  the  various  thirds,  quarters,  or 
sixths,  iuto  which  whole  cubes  can  be  divided, 
as  shown  in  Figs.  35,  36,  37,  38,  or  40,  41 
and  42. 

It  is  understood  that  all  these  exercises 
should  be  accompanied  by  the  living  word  of 
the  teacher ;  for  thereby,  only,  will  the  child 
become  perfectly  conscious  of  the  ideas  re- 
ceived from  perception,  and  the  opportunity 
is  offered  to  perfect  and  multiply  them.  The 
teacher  should,  however,  be  careful  not  to 
speak  too  much,  for  it  is  only  necessary  to  keep 
the  attention  of  the  pupil  to  the  object  repre- 
sented, and  to  render  impressions  more  vivid. 

The  divisions  introduced  heretofore,  are  fol- 
lowed by  representations  of  regular  mathe- 
matical figures,  (planes),  as  shown  in  Figs. 
49-52.  The  manner  in  which  one  is  formed 
from  the  preceding  one  is  easily  seen  from  the 
figures  themselves. 


'-'- 


Fig.  52. 

As  mentioned  before,  part  of  the  occupa- 
tion described  in  the  preceding  pages,  is  to  be 
introduced  in  the  Primary  Department  only, 
where  it  is  combined  with  other  interesting  but 
more  complicated  exercises.  Simply  to  indi- 
cate how  advantageously  this  Gift  may  be 
used  for  instruction  in  geometry  in  later  years, 
we  have  added  Fig.  56,  the  representation  of 
which  shows  the  child  the  visible  proof  of  the 
well-known  Pythagorean  axiom,  by  which  the 
theoretical,  abstract  solution  of  the  same,  cer- 
tainly, can  alone  be  facilitated. 


Fig.   53. 


Fig.  54. 


Fig.  49. 


Fig.   55. 


Fig.  50. 


Fig.  56. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


127 


For  the  continuation  of  the  exercises  in 
arithmetic,  begun  with  the  previous  Gifts,  the 
cubes  of  the  present  one  are  of  great  use. 
Exercises  in  addition  and  subtraction  are  con- 
tinued more  extensively,  and  by  the  use  of 
these  means,  the  child  will  be  enabled  to  learn, 
what  is  usually  called  the  multiplication  table, 
in  a  much  shorter  time  and  in  a  much  more  ra- 
tional way  than  it  could  ever  be  accomplished 
by  mere  memorizing,  without  visible  objects. 

FORMS  OF  BEAUTY. 

If  we  consider  that  the  Fifth  Gift  is  put  into 
the  hands  of  pupils  when  they  have  reached  the 
fifth  }Tear,  with  whom,  consequently,  if  they 
have  been  treated  rationally,  the  external  or- 
gans, the  limbs,  as  well  as  the  senses,  and  the 
bodily  mediators  of  all  mental  activity,  the 
nerves,  and  their  central  organ,  the  brain,  have 
reached  a  higher  degree  of  development,  and 
their  physical  powers  have  kept  pace  with  such 
development,  we  may  well  expect  a  somewhat 
more  extensive  activity  of  the  pupils  so  pre- 
pared, and  be  justified  in  presenting  to  them 
work  requiring  more  skill  and  ingenuity  than 
that  of  the  previous  Gifts. 

And,  in  fact,  the  progress  with  these  forms 
is  apparently  much  greater  than  with  the  forms 
of  life  ;  because  here  the  importance  of  each  of 
the  thirty-nine  parts  of  the  cube  can  be  made 
more  prominent.  He  who  is  not  a  stranger  in 
mathematics  knows  that  the  number  of  com- 
binations and  permutations  of  thirty-nine  dif- 
ferent bodies  does  not  count  by  hundreds,  nor 
can  be  expressed  by  thousands,  but  that  mill- 
ions hardly  suffice  to  exhaust  all  possible  com- 
binations. 

Limitations  are,  therefore,  necessary  here ; 
and  these  limitations  are  presented  to  us  in  the 
laws  of  beauty,  according  to  which  the  whole 
structure  is  not  only  to  be  formed  harmoniously 
in  itself,  but  each  main  part  of  it  must  also 
answer  the  claims  of  symmetry.  In  order  to 
comply  with  these  conditions,  it  is  sometimes 
necessary,  during  the  process  of  building  a 
Form  of  Beauty,  to  perfonn  certain  move- 
ments with  various  parts  simultaneously.  In 
such  cases  it  appears  advisable  to  divide  the 
activity  in  its  single  parts,  and  allow  the  child's 
eye  to  rest  on  these  transition  figures,  that  it 
may  become  perfectly  conscious  of  all  changes 
and  phases  during  the  process  of  development 
of  the  form  in  question.  This  will  render  more 


intelligible  to  the  young  mind,  that  real  beauty 
can  only  be  produced  when  one  opposite  bal- 
ances another,  if  the  proportions  of  all  parts 
are  equally  regulated  by  uniting  them  with  one 
common  center. 

Another  limitation  we  find  in  the  fact,  that 
each  fundamental  form  from  which  we  start 
is  divided  in  two  main  parts — the  internal  and 
the  external — and  that  if  we  begin  the  changes 
or  mutations  with  one  of  these  opposites,  they 
are  to  be  continued  with  it  until  a  certain  aim 
be  reached.  By  this  process  certain  small  steps 
are  created,  which  enable  the  child — and,  still 
more,  the  teacher — to  control  the  method  ac- 
cording to  which  the  perfect  form  is  reached. 

"Each  definite  beginning  conditions  a  cer- 
tain process  of  its  own,  and  however  much 
liberty  in  regard  to  changes  may  be  allowed, 
they  are  always  to  be  introduced  within  cer- 
tain limits  only." 

Thus,  the  fundamental  form  conditions  all 
the  changes  of  the  whole  following  series.  All 
fundamental  forms  are  distinct  from  each  other 
by  their  different  centers,  which  may  be  a 
square,  (Fig.  65),  a  triangle,  (Fig.  91),  a 
hexagon,  octagon,  or  circle. 

Before  the  real  formation  of  figures  com- 
mences, the  child  should  become  acquainted 
with  the  combinations  in  which  the  new  forms 
of  the  divided  cubes  can  be  brought  with  each 
other.  It  takes  two  half  cubes,  forms  of  them 
a  whole,  and,  being  guided  by  the  law  of  op- 
posites, arrives  at  the  forms  represented  in 
Figs.  57-64,  and  perhaps  at  others  of  less 
significance. 

The  following  series  of  Figs.  65-106  are  all 
developed  one  from  another,  as  the  careful  ob- 
server will  easily  detect.  As  it  would  lead  too 
far  to  show  the  gradual  growing  of  one  from 
another,  and  all  from  a  common  fundamental 
form,  we  will  show  only  the  course  of  devel- 
opment of  Figs.  65-70. 

The  fundamental  form  (Fig.  65)  is  a  stand- 
ing square,  formed  of  nine  cubes,  and  sur- 
rounded by  four  equilateral  triangles. 

The  course  of  development  starts  from  the 
center  part.  The  four  cubes  a  move  exter- 
nally, (Fig.  66) ,  the  four  cubes  b  do  the  same, 
(Fig.  67),  cubes  a  move  farther  to  the  cor- 
ner of  the  triangles,  (Fig.  68),  cubes  &  move 
to  the  places  where  cubes  a  were  previously, 
(Fig.  69).  If  all  eight  cubes  continue  their 
way  in  the  same  manner,  we  next  obtain  a 


128 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  57.    Fig.  58.     Fig.  59.  Fig.  60.  Fig.  61.      Fig.  62.  Fig.  63.      Fig.  64. 


Fig.   65. 


Fig.  71. 


Fig.   66 


Fig.  72. 


Fig;.    67. 


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PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


129 


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130 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


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PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


131 


form  in  which  a  and  b  remain  with  their  cor- 
ners on  the  half  of  the  catheti ;  then  follows 
a  figure  like  69  different  only  in  so  far  as  a  and 
b  have  exchanged  positions  ;  then,  in  like  man- 
ner follow  Figs.  68,  67,  66  and  65. 

We  therefore,  discontinue  the  course.  The 
internal  cubes  so  far  occupied  positions  that 
b  and  c  turned  corners,  a  and  c  sides  toward 
each  other.  In  Fig.  70  b  shows  the  side  and 
a  the  corner.  In  Fig.  71,  we  reach  anew  fun- 
damental form.  Here,  not  the  cubes  of  the 
internal,  but  those  of  the  external  triangles 
furnish  the  material  for  changing  the  form. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  teacher,  by 
strictly  adhering  to  the  law  of  development, 
return  to  the  adopted  fundamental  form.  She 
may  interrupt  the  course  as  we  have  done, 
and  continue  according  to  new  conditions. 
But  however  useful  it  may  be  to  leave  free 
scope  to  the  child's  own  fantasy,  we  should 
never  lose  sight  of  FroebePs  principle,  to  lead 
to  lawful  action,  to  accustom  to  following   a 


definite  rule.  Nor  should  we  ever  forget  that 
the  child  can  only  derive  benefit  from  its  oc- 
cupation, if  we  do  not  over-tax  the  measure 
of  its  strength  and  ability.  The  laws  of  for- 
mation should,  therefore,  always  be  as  definite 
and  distinct  as  simple.  As  soon  as  the  child 
cannot  trace  back  the  way  in  which  you  have 
led  him  in  developing  any  of  the  forms  of  life 
or  beauty  ;  if  it  can  not  discover  how  it  arrived 
at  a  certain  point,  or  how  to  proceed  from  it, 
the  moment  has  arrived  when  the  occupation 
not  only  ceases  to  be  useful,  but  commences 
to  be  hurtful, 'and  we  should  always  studiously 
avoid  that  moment. 

In  order  to  facilitate  the  child's  control  of 
his  activity,  it  is  well  to  give  the  cubes,  which 
are,  so  to  say,  the  representatives  of  the  law 
of  development,  instead  of  the  letters  a,  &,  c, 
names  of  some  children  present,  or  of  friends 
of  the  pupils.  This  enlivens  the  interest  in 
their  movements,  and  the  children  follow  them 
with  much  more  attention. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


In  the  previous  gifts  only  the  vertical  and 
horizontal  lines  have  been  introduced,  but  these 
require  their  intermediate.  The  slanting  line 
was  indicated  in  the  forms  of  symmetry  made 
with  the  third  and  fourth  gifts,  when  edge  and 
sides  were  brought  to  touch  each  other,  but 
what  was  only  indicated  there,  now  becomes 
permanent  by  the  bodily  presence  of  the  cube 
divided  diagonally. 

By  this  division  of  three  cubes  into  halves 
and  three  into  quarters,  a  new  solid  is  pre- 
sented— the  triangular  prism — which  permits 
of  a  greater  variety  of  forms,  and  gives  an  op- 
portunity for  the  exercise  of  judgment  in 
choosing  the  form  which  is  best  adapted  for  a 
certain  purpose.  This  prism  and  its  proper 
use  in  building  constitute  the  chief  character- 
istic of  the  gift. 

Owing  to  its  many  parts  this  gift  is  much 
in  advance  of  the  previous  ones,  requiring 
greater  dexterity  and  delicacy  of  touch,  while 
it  affords  excellent  training  to  the  fingers. 
When  first  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  children, 
its  greater  quantity  of  material  and  variety  of 
form  is  liable  to  confuse  them  ;  they  are  apt 
to  become  bewildered  in  the  dictated  exercise, 
and  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  manage  so  much 
material  in  free  play.      Therefore   the   need  of 


quantity  should  be  felt  that  the  material  may 
not  be  wasted  through  misuse. 

There  are  different  ways  of  introducing  this 
gift.  Some  kindergartners  think  it  is  best  to 
present  the  triangular  prism  before  the  gift  is 
offered  to  the  child  as  a  whole,  by  removing 
one  or  two  cubes  from  the  boxes  of  the  third 
gift  and  substituting  half  cubes.  Then,  after 
the  children  have  examined  the  form  ask  ques- 
tions as  to  the  number,  the  dimensions  and 
shape  of  the  faces,  one  of  which  they  find  is 
oblong,  two  square  and  two  triangular.  When 
they  have  become  familiar  with  the  form,  then 
give  the  name  triangular  prism. 

Have  them  place  the  halves  according  to  dic- 
tation and  combine  them  to  form  whole  cubes. 
After  this  is  done  successfully  substitute  four 
quarters  in  place  of  two  halves,  and  let  the 
children  study  them  in  a  similar  way.  They 
will  notice  the  quarters  are  one-half  as  large 
as  the  half  cubes,  also  that  when  two  quarters 
are  joined  by  their  square  faces  they  have  a 
new  square  prism. 

Direct  one  child  to  put  four  quarters  together 
to  make  a  cube,  another  to  make  a  long  triangu- 
lar prism,  another  to  make  a  square  prism 
two  inches  high.  It  is  well  to  let  each  child 
experiment  for  himself  in  building  some  form 


132 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


of  life,  as  a  locomotive,  (Fig.  107),  or  ahouse 
with  a  roof,  -which  helps  the  rain  to  run  off 
quickly,  (Fig.  108). 

This  small  quantity  of  material  will  give  the 
children  facility  in  combining  the  new  forms, 
and  in  placing  them  according  to  dictation  with- 
out being  bewildered  and  diverted.  Having 
used  these  four  small  and  two  large  triangular 
prisms  successfully,  the  children  will  be  better 
prepared  for  the  manipulation  of  the  whole  gift. 

Another  plan  is  to  present  the  gift  as  a  whole, 
using  only  one,  which  stands  on  the  kinder- 
gartner's  table,  for  the  first  few  lessons.  Com- 
pare   the    gift  as  to  size  with  the  third  and 


Steps  and  Boathouse. — (Near  the  landing 
where  Mary  took  the  small  steamboat) .  Re- 
move the  two  upper  right-hand  cubes  and  the 
top  middle  cube.  Make  a  roof  of  the  two 
half  cubes  by  joining  their  square  faces,  and 
place  on  top  of  the  two  whole  cubes,  with  the 
triangular  faces  front  and  back,  Fig.  110. 


Fig.  107.  Fig.  108. 

fourth,  then  bring  out  one  of  the  half  cubes, 
teach  the  different  faces,  dictate  as  to  placing 
in  different  directions,  give  the  name,  etc. 
Proceed  with  the  quarter  cube  in  the  same  way, 
until  the  children  are  familiar  with  the  form. 

Let  them  use  both  half  and  quarter  cubes 
with  a  single  whole  cube,  combine  the  halves 
into  a  whole  cube,  make  the  quarters  into  cubes, 
square  and  triangular  prisms.  Then  show  the 
children  the  three  ways  of  dividing  the  gift 
into  thirds — right  and  left,  front  and  back,  up 
and  down — letting  them  come  forward  to  di- 
vide and  combine  it,  using  also  other  objects 
in  illustration ;  afterward  give  one-third  only 
to  each  child  to  work  with,  or  give  every  third 
child  the  entire  gift  and  assist  him  to  divide 
the  cube  into  thirds,  giving  one  of  these  thirds 
to  the  neighbor  on  each  side. 

The  top  layer  of  each  third  should  consist 
of  one  whole  cube,  one  composed  of  halves  and 
one  of  quarters.  Familiarize  the  children  with 
the  new  form  by  some  play  which  will  tend  to 
disclose  the  relationship  existing  between  the 
parts, and  lead  the  children  to  find  resemblances 
between  the  prism  and  familiar  life  forms.  The 
following  sequence  shows  the  use  of  one- third 
of  the  gift. 

FIRST   SEQUENCE. 

Mary's  visit  to  her  uncle,  who  is  a  light- 
house keeper  in  one  of  the  small  Atlantic  towns. 
One-third  of  the  gift  with  cubes  running  right 
and  left,  is  placed  before  each  child,  Fig.  109. 


Fig.  109. 


Fig.  110. 


Steamboat. — Combine  the  two  halves  which 
form  the  roof  of  the  boathouse,  into  a  cube, 
placing  it  at  the  left  of  the  steps.  Place  one 
of  the  remaining  cubes  on  top  of  the  right-hand 
cube,  and  the  other  at  the  right.  Remove  the 
quartered  cube,  placing  one  of  the  quarters  on 
top  of  the  lower  left-hand  cube,  with  its  oblong 
face  against  the  upper  left-hand  cube,  and  its 
square  face  slanting  to  the  left.  Take  another 
quarter  and  stand  it  on  a  triangular  face  at  the 
left  of  the  lower  left-hand  cube,  touching  it 
by  its  square  face.  Form  the  remaining  two 
quarters  into  a  square  prism,  and  stand  it  on 
top  of  the  upper  left-hand  cube,  face  front, 
Fig.  111. 

Fort. — (Which  is  passed  on  the  way).  Of 
the  two  separated  quarters,  form  a  square 
prism  and  stand  on  top  of  the  upper  right-hand 
cube,  face  front.  Lift  the  upper  three  cubes 
and  prisms,  placing  them  back  of,  and  touch- 
ing those  they  stand  on,  Fig.  112. 


Fig.  111.  Fig.  112. 

Boat. — (Also  passed  on  the  way).  Remove 
the  two  square  prisms,  and  move  the  back  row 
one  inch  back.  Take  the  right-hand  front  cube 
and  place  in  the  center,  connecting  the  two 
rows.  Separate  the  left-hand  front  cube,  and 
place  over  the  front  and  back  middle  cubes, 
with  the  square  faces  slanting  right  and 
left.  Stand  one  of  the  quarters  on  its  triangular 
face,  at  each  end  of  the  four  right  and  left  cubes 
touching  them  by  square  faces,  Fig.  113. 

Boat  Landing. — (Where  Mary  is  met  by 
her  cousins).    Remove  the  four  quarters   and 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


133 


combine  into  two  square  prisms.  Combine  the 
two  halves  into  a  whole  cube  and  place  at  the 
right  of  the  front  row.  Remove  the  center  con- 
necting cube  and  place  at  the  right  of  the 
back  row.  Push  the  two  rows  together,  and 
stand  the  two  prisms  on  top  of  the  right  and 
left  front  cubes,  faces  front,  these  forming  the 
posts   to  which  the  steamer  is  tied,  Fig.  114. 


Fig.  114. 

Lighthouse. — (Where  she  finds  her  uncle) . 
Remove  the  square  prisms  and  the  divided 
cube.  Lift  the  four  back  cubes  and  place  in 
a  standing  position  on  top  of  the  front  left- 
hand  cube.  Place  the  right-hand  cube  on  top 
of  the  cube  to  its  left.  Of  the  two  half  cubes 
make  roofs,  with  the  square  faces  slanting 
front  and  back.  Lay  one  of  the  square  prisms 
against  the  lower  right-hand  cube,  and  the 
other  in  front  of  the  tower,  touching  by  ob- 
long faces,   Fig.  115. 

Uncle's  House. — Lift  the  upper  two  cubes 
and  roof  of  the  tower  and  place  against  the 
left  of  the  tower.  Turn  the  half  cubes  with 
their  square  faces  touching  the  center  cube, 
the  oblong  faces  slanting  right  and  left.  Re- 
move the  prism  at  the  right  and  combine  into 
a  half  cube,  placing  it  on  top  of  the  middle 
cube,  with  the  triangular  face  front,  Fig.  116. 


Fig.  116. 

Barn,  Wagon  Shed  and  Well  House. — Re- 
move the  steps.  Lift  the  center  cube  and  roof, 
and  place  in  front  of  and  against  the  lower 
left-hand  cube,  for  the  shed.  Move  the  right- 
hand  half  cube  over  against  the  other  half  cube 
to  form  a  roof.  Move  the  two  right-hand  cubes 
two  inches  to  the  front,  and  one  inch  to  the 
right.  Join  the  quarter  cubes  which  formed 
the  steps  into  a  half  cube  and  place  on  top  of 


these  cubes  with  triangular  face  front,  for  the 
well  house,  Fig.  117. 

Church.  —  (Which  they  attended  on  the 
Sabbath ) .  Remove  the  roof  of  the  wagon  shed 
and  form  into  a  square  prism.  Place  the  well 
house  on  top  of  the  shed  and  move  this  tower 
to  the  left  of  the  barn,  roof  slanting  right  and 
left.  Lay  the  prism  in  front  of  the  tower, 
touching  by  its  oblong  face,  Fig.  118. 


Fig.  117 


Fig.  118. 


Mary's  Home. — (Where  she  returns  after 
spending  many  happy  days).  Remove  the 
right-hand  side  of  the  church,  and  place  it 
against  the  left  of  the  tower.  Turn  the  half 
cubes  on  their  oblong  faces  for  the  roof,  the 
square  faces  slanting  front  and  back,  Fig.  119. 


Fig.  119. 

When  the  sequence  is  ended  each  child  builds 
up  his  third  of  the  cube,  the  three  parts  are 
pushed  together  and  are  ready  to  go  into  the 
boxes. 

SECOND  SEQUENCE. 

This  sequence  shows  how  a  third  of  the  gift 
may  be  combined  to  produce  one  form. 

Country  Home  of  a  Wealthy  Lady. — 
(Who  loves  little  children) .  One  third  of  the 
gift  is  placed  before  each  child ,  the  top  layer 
removed  and  placed  two  inches  in  front.  Take 
the  two  right-hand  cubes  and  stand  in  front  of 
the  left-hand  cubes.  Combine  the  two  half 
cubes  and  place  on  the  back  row  of  cubes  for 
a  roof,  the  oblong  faces  slanting  right  and  left. 
Take  the  remaining  whole  cube,  place  one  of 
the  quarters  on  top,  triangular  face  front,  and 
stand  at  the  right  of  the  two  front  cubes.  Com- 
bine two  quarters  into  a  square  prism,  with  the 
remaining  cube  on  top,  triangular  face  front, 
and  stand  upon  the  left  front  cubes,  Fig.  120. 


134 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Barx. — (Standing  back  of  the  house,  where  the  sequences  shortened  or  lengthened,  accord- 
the  cows  and  horses  are  kept,  and  where  the  ing  to  the  capacity  of  the  children.  At  the 
children   like    to  climb    the  haymow  to    hunt    close  of  the  exercise  the  borrowed  parts  are 


eggs,  and  watch  Mrs.  Puss  and  her  kittens 
frolic  and  play).  Move  the  back  half  two 
inches  back,  Fig.  121. 


Fig.  120. 


Fig.  121. 


Text. — (Where  the  hostess  was  obliged  to 
shelter  a  number  of  "fresh  air"  children  whom 
she  entertained).  Take  the  roof  off  the  barn 
and  place  it  one  inch  back.  Take  the  upper 
two  cubes  of  the  barn  and  place  in  front  of  the 
lower  two,  Fig.  122. 

Cottage. — (At  a  summer  resort  not  far  dis- 
tant, where  the  daughter  is  stopping,  and  to 
which  the  children  are  driven  behind  Grey  and 
Dapple  for  a  day's  pleasure) .  Remove  the  quar- 
ter cubes  from  the  house,  place  the  remaining 
three  cubes  in  the  center  of  the  four  back  cubes, 
front  and  back,  the  two  cubes  to  the  front. 
Join  the  quarter  cubes  into  two  long  triangular 
prisms,  and  place  on  their  oblong  faces  at  the 
right  and  left  of  the  center  cubes  for  a  roof, 
the  square  faces  slanting  right  and  left.  Place 
the  two  half-cubes  on  the  front  and  back  mid- 
dle cubes  for  roofs,  triangular  faces  front  and 
back,  Fig.  123. 


Fig.  122. 


Fig.  123. 


To  combine  the  thirds  : — 

Summer  Hotel. — (Near  the  beach).  Re- 
verse the  cottages  so  that  the  backs  will  face 
you.  Let  the  child  that  divided  the  cube,  re- 
move the  quarters  from  his  cottage  and  form 
two  square  prisms,  on  which  his  neighbor  on 
each  side  places  the  back  half  cube  from  his 
cottage,  and  stands  this  with  triangular  face 
front,  on  the  back  middle  cube.  The  right  and 
left  cottages  are  then  moved  until  they  touch 
the  middle  one,  Fig.  124. 

These  stories  may  be  enlarged  upon,   and 


returned,  so  that  the  thirds  may  be  built  up  as 
they  were  at  the  beginning.  Later  on,  the 
thirds  may  be  divided  by  three  different  ways 
into  nine,  and  those  into  twenty-seven  parts ; 
thus  it  will  be  seen  that  much  mathematical 
knowledge  may  be  gained  through  this  gift. 


Fig.  124. 

If  the  entire  gift  is  presented  without  any 
preliminary  step,  it  should  lie  used  so  simply 
that  the  child  will  feel  delight  in  his  material. 
Have  the  blocks  arranged  so  that  when  taken 
from  the  box,  the  cubes  will  be  uniform  as  to 
position  and  arrangement,  the  upper  face  show- 
ing the  vertical,  horizontal  and  slanting  line, 
also  three  squares,  six  right  isosceles  triangles 
of  one  size  and  twelve  smaller  ones. 

The  children  should  become  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  number  of  whole  and  divided 
cubes,  that  they  may  be  able  to  make  free  and 
full  use  of  the  gift,  and  they  will  readily  learn 
to  lift  the  upper  face  with  its  twenty  -one  pieces, 
and  place  it  unbroken  on  the  table. 

Allow  free  scope  to  the  childish  imagination, 
and  as  with  new  material,  free  play  directed 
by  the  kindergartner  affords  the  best  oppor- 
tunity for  self-activity,  it  is  well  to  let  the  chil- 
dren build  each  his  own  form,  the  teacher 
connecting  all  their  various  creations  by  some 
little  improvised  story. 

The  combination  of  the  cubes  to  form  geo- 
meterical  figures  is  full  of  interest,  and  the 
evolution  of  one  form  from  another,  important 
in  developing  the  child.  From  a  rectangular 
prism  have  the  children  develop  the  rhomboidal 
prism,  from  this  the  trapezoidal,  then  the  pen- 
tagonal and  hexagonal. 

The  educating  power  of  this  gift  is  wonder- 
ful, and  there  seems  no  limit  to  its  constructive 
power.  It  gives  a  huge  number  of  the  most 
varied  and  beautiful  forms  of  symmetry,  and 
a  strong  impression  is  made,  that  real  beaut}7 
can  only  be  produced  when  one  opposite  bal- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


135 


ances  another,  if  all  the  parts  are  equally  reg- 
ulated by  uniting  them  with  one  common  cen- 
ter. The  directions  for  forming  these  transi- 
tion figures  should  be  direct  and  simple,  so 
that  the  child  can  return  to  the  original  form, 
by  reversing  the  movements  without  taxing 
him  too  much. 

The  material  is  particularly  adapted  to 
architecture,  and  the  forms  of  life  come  very 
near  to  reality  on  account  of  the  prisms,  which 
aid  materially  with  their  slanting  surfaces  to 
represent  roofs,  chimneys,  towers,  etc.  The 
method  followed  in  the  handling  of  this  ma- 
terial gives  a  sure  guide  for  bringing  order  out 
of  all  manifoldness  of  form.  The  following 
sequence  shows  the  use  of  the  entire  gift. 

THIRD  SEQUENCE. 

Entire  gift  as  placed  before  each  child, 
Fig.  125. 

Triumphal  Arch. — Move  the  back  row  of 
cubes  two  inches  back  and  to  the  left.  Remove 
the  upper  layer  of  half  cubes,  then  separate 
into  three  columns,  covering  the  right  and  left 
column  with  a  half  cube  for  a  roof,  and  the 
center  column  with  two  halves  joined  by  square 
faces.  This  forms  three  towers.  Next  move 
the  front  row  of  cubes  to  the  right  and  on  a 
line  with  what  was  the  middle  row.  leaving  a 
half-inch  space  between.      Move  the  right-hand 


Fig.  125. 
column  half  an  inch  to  the  light,  and  the  left- 
hand  column  one  half-inch  to  the  left,  and 
over  these  three  openings  stand  the  towers, 
with  triangular  faces  front  and  back,  the  tower 
with  the  double  roof  being  placed  over  the 
center  opening.  The  two  remaining  halves 
place  right  and  left  of  the  outside  towers,  with 
the  oblong  faces  slanting  away  from  the  towers, 
Fig.  126. 

Gates  of  a  "Walled  City. — Move  the  right- 
hand  tower  so  it  stands  on  the  cubes  at  its  left 


and  the  left-hand  tower  so  it  stands  on  the 
cubes  at  its  right.  Remove  the  right  and  left 
columns  and  of  the  right  column  make  a  base 
of  two  cubes  with  the  third  cube  over  the  cen- 
ter, and  on  top  of  this  place  the  half  cube  with 
triaugular  face  front.  Do  the  same  with  the 
left-hand  column,  then  push  these  against  the 
front  of  the  double  columns,  Fig.   127. 


Fig.  126. 

Cathedral. — Eemove  these  two  front  pieces 
and  the  towers.  Place  the  six  left-hand  cubes 
at  the  back  of  the  six  right-hand  cubes,  form- 
ing a  square  prism,  three  cubes  high.  Against 
the  right  and  left  of  this  prism,  place  the  two 
front  pieces  so  that  the  roofs  slant  front  and 
back.  Take  the  four  halves  from  the  towers 
and  combine  them  into  a  roof  for  the  top  of 
the  prism,  the  oblong   faces  slanting  right  and 


Pig.  128. 

left.  Place  the  two  towers  together  and  stand 
them  in  front  of  the  square  prism.  Lay  the 
remaining  tower  directly  in  front  of  these,  for 
steps,   Fig.  128. 

From  this  form  the  children  may  easily  re- 
turn to  the  whole  cube.  In  using  the  entire 
gift,  each  child  might  divide  the  gift  into  thirds 
using  each  third  for  a  different  form,  making 
different  buildings  in  a  town. 


FIFTH  GIFT  B. 


This  gift  combines  cylindrical  with  cubical 
forms  and  is  in  the  line  of  the  further  develop- 
ment of  tbe  series  of  building  blocks  which 
Froebel  evidently  intended  to  carry  out,  as  it 
is  obvious  that  after  the  blocks  containing 
straight  forms  derived  from  the  cube  have  been 
presented.,  the  round  forms  derived  from  the 
sphere  and  cylinder  should  follow. 

This  gift  contains  twelve  whole  cubes,  three 
quartered  cubes,  eight  hollowed  cubes,  and 
twelve  half-cylinders.  Like  the  fifth  gift  it  is 
separated  into  three  layers,  one  above  the  other. 

The  first  layer  consists  of  nine  whole  cubes, 
Fig.  1  ;  the  second  layer  presents  three  whole 
cubes,  three  quartered  cubes,  and  three  cylin- 
ders halved  lengthwise,  Fig.  2  ;  the  third  and 
upper  layer  has  eight  hollowed  cubes  and  six 
half-cylinders,  Fig.   3. 


Have  them  combine  two  half-cylinders  with 
the  cube  and  they  have  the  oval,  Fig.  6,  and 
with  four  half-cylinders  they  obtain  the  double 
oval,  Fig.  7. 

Compare  the  half-cylinder  with  the  triangu- 
lar prism  and  combine  the  two  by  square  faces, 
Fig.  8. 

Place  a  half-cylinder  and  a  triangular  prism 


1  ~~r 


t    {  ^"^y 


Fig. 


Fig.   1.  Fig.   2. 

In  presenting  this  gift  let  the  children  find 
familiar  forms  first,  and  when  they  have  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  new  elements  in  the 
gift,  they  may  find  the  simple  combination  of 
these  forms,  one  with  another.  They  will  rec- 
ognize the  cube  and  the  triangular  prism  of  the 
fifth  gift,  and  the  kindergartner  should  then  call 
attention  to  the  half-cylinder.  Ask  how  many 
faces  they  find  ?  How  many  are  curved  ?  how 
many  are  straight  ?  They  will  notice  that  one 
face  is  a  square  like  the  face  of  the  cube,  that 
two  are  the  form  of  a  half-circle,  Fig,  4,  and 
that  the  fourth  is  a  curved  surface. 


Fig. 4.  Fig.  5.     Fig.  6.  Fig.  7.     Fig.  8. 

Ask  how  many  edges  the  half  cylinder  has? 
Out  of  the  six  edges  how  many  ai'e  straight? 
How  many  are  curved?  How  many  corners 
are  there  ? 

Let  the  children  combine  two  half-cylinders 
and  they  will  recognize  their  old  friend  the  cylin- 
der, Fig.  5.  By  comparing  the  cylinder  and 
cube  the  children  will  find  they  are  of  the  same 
dimensions. 


Fig.  9.     Fig.  10.  Fig.  11.  Fig.  12.     Fig.  13. 
on  opposite  sides  of  the  cube,  joining  it    by 
square  faces,  so  one  end  will  be  rounded  and 
the  opposite  end  pointed. 

Bring  out  the  peculiarities  of  the  hollowed 
cube,  Fig.  it.  Call  attention  to  the  faces,  which 
number  seven;  two  of  them  are  square  like  the 
face  of  the  cube  ;  two  others  are  oblongs,  just 
one  half  as  large ;  one  is  a  hollow  curved  sur- 
face, and  the  top  and  bottom  faces  are  equal, 
being  a  square  with  a  quarter  circle  removed 
from  one  corner,  Fig.  10. 

Ask  how  many  edges  they  find  on  this  form  ; 
how  many  are  straight,  how  many  are  curved  ? 
What  is  the  number  of  corners?  Let  the  chil- 
dren combine  two  of  these  hollowed  cubes  by 
oblong  faces  and  an  arch  is  obtained,  Fig.  11, 


Fig.  14.  Fig.  15.  Fig.  10. 

these  forms  being  especially  adapted  to  that 
purpose.  A  combination  of  three  hollowed 
cubes,  forms  three  quarters  of  a  circle,  Fig.  12, 
and  by  uniting  four  an  entire  circle  is  made, 
showing  a  hollow  center  into  which  the  cylinder 
may  be  fitted,  Fig.  13.  By  joining  the  square 
faces  instead  of  the  oblong  we  have  Fig.  14, 
and  by  combining  with  the  half-cylinder,  we 
have  the  undulating  curve,  as  seen  in  Figs.  15 
and  16. 

After  the  children  have  seen  the  gift  as  a 
whole  and  have  become  acquainted  with  the 
different  forms,  it  is  well  to  separate  it  into 
three  layers,  that  the  children  may  find  the 
number  of  parts  and  the  arrangement  of  each. 
These  exercises  may  be  given  gradually,  the 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


137 


kindergartner  being  careful  that  the  child  ob-  style  of  architecture  being  prominent  in  the  life 

serves  with  clearness  and  decision,  advancing  forms  of  which  the  accompanying  illustrations 

him  only  as  he  is  capable  of  making  intelligent  only  serve  as  a  hint  to  the  possibilities  of  this 
nse  of  his  materials. 

FORMS  OF  LIFE. 


Fig. 

Ruins  of  a  Cloister. 


17. 


J 

11 

X  L 

'T 

y 

W     I 

ll 

Fig.  21. 


Monument. 


Fig.    18. 
A  Portion  of  a  Wall. 


;^jT 

1 

\ 

A 

| 

! 

c 

! 

, 

1 

Fig.  22. 
Gate  of  a  Fortress. 


Fig.  19. 
Ancient  City  Gate. 


Fig.  23. 
Railroad  Train  on  Bridge. 


Fig.   24. 
Fig.  20.  ° 

Royal  Archway.  Railroad  Station. 

The  curved  line  of  this  gift  gives  a  special  gift,  which  may  be  brought  out  under  the  skill- 
importance  to  the  exercises.  Arches  and  round  ful  direction  of  the  kindergartner  and  the  full 
columns  may  now  be  constructed,  the  Roman  and  careful  attention  of  the  children. 


138 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Fis.  25. 


Monument. 


Portico. 

FORMS  OF  SYMMETRY. 

The  forms  of  symmetry  are  treated  in  the 
same  way  as  those  of  the  previous  gifts.  Se- 
quences may  easily  be  developed  and  figures 
constructed  which  are  varied  and  pleasing  in 
design,  the  rounded  forms  of  the  gift  giving  a 
peculiar  characteristic  of  their  own. 


Fie.  28. 


Ficr.  29. 


Fig.   30. 


We  give  but  a  few  illustrations,  leaving  the 
teacher  free  to  follow  her  own  ideas.  Fig.  31. 

In  the  forms  of  knowledge,  the  child's  at-  13,  the  children  of  the  kindergarten   being  too 

tention  should  be  directed  to  those  which  are  young  to  grasp  the  special   mathematical  truths 

the  most  simple,  as  Figs.   5,  6,  7,  11,  12  and  which  may  be  derived  by  means  of  this  gift. 


THE  SIXTH  GIFT. 

LARGE  CUBE,  CONSISTING  OF  DOUBLY  DIVIDED  OBLONG  BLOCKS. 


As  the  Third  and  Fifth  Gifts  form  an  es- 
pecial sequence  of  development,  so  the  Fourth 
and  Sixth  are  intimately  connected  with  each 
other.  The  latter  is,  so  to  say,  a  higher  po- 
tence  of  the  former,  permitting-  the  observa- 
tion in  greater  clearness,  of  the  qualities,  rela- 
tion, and  laws,  introduced  previously. 

The  Gift  contains  twenty-seven  oblong  blocks 
of  the  same  dimensions  as  those  of  the  Fourth 
Gift.  Of  these  twenty-seven  blocks,  eighteen 
are  whole,  six  are  divided  breadthwise,  each 
in  two  squares,  and  three  by  a  lengthwise  cut, 
each  in  two  columns  ;  altogether  making  thirty- 
six  pieces. 

The  children  soon  become  acquainted  with 
this  Gift,  as  the  variety  of  forms  is  much  less 
than  in  the  preceding  one,  where  by  an  oblique 
division  of  the  cubes,  an  entirely  new  radical 
principle  was  introduced. 

It  is  here,  therefore,  mainly  the  proportions 
of  size  of  the  oblong  and  square  blocks,  and 
columns  contained  in  this  Gift  and  the  number 
of  each  kind  of  these  bodies,  about  which  the 
child  has  to  become  enlightened,  before  engag- 
ing in  building — playing,  creating — with  this 
new  material. 

The  cube  is  placed  upon  the  table — all  parts 
are  disjoined— then  equal  parts  collected  into 
groups,  and  the  child  is  then  asked,  "How 
many  blocks  have  you  altogether?  How  many 
oblong  blocks ?  how  many  square  blocks?  how 
man}' columns  ?  Compare  the  sides  of  the  blocks 
with  another,  take  an  oblong  block,  how  many 
s< ju are  blocks  do  you  need  to  cover  it?  how 
many  columns? 

Place  the  oblong  block  upon  its  long  edge, 
now  upon  its  shortest  side — and  state  how 
many  square  blocks  or  columns  you  need  in 
order  to  reach  its  height,  in  either  case."  Ex- 
ercises of  this  kind  will  instruct  the  child  suf- 
ficiently, to  allow  it  to  proceed,  in  a  short  time 
to  the  individual  creating,  or  producing  occu- 
pation with  this  new  Gift. 

FORMS  OF  LIFE. 

It  is  the  forms  of  life,  particularly,  for  which 
this  Gift  provides  material,  far  better  fitted, 
than  any  previously  used.  The  oblong  blocks 
admit  of  a  much  larger  extension  of  the  plane, 
and  allow  the  enclosure  of  a  much  more  ex- 


tensive hollow  space,  than  was  possible,  for 
instance,  with  the  cubes  of  the  Fifth  Gift. 
Innumerable  forms  can  therefore  be  produced 
with  this  Gift,  and  the  attention  and  interest 
of  the  pupil  will  be  constantly  increased. 

This  very  variety,  however,  should  induce 
the  careful  teacher  to  prevent  the  child's  purely 
accidental  production  of  forms.  It  is  always 
necessary  to  act  according  to  certain  rules  and 
laws,  to  reach  a  certain  aim.  The  established 
principle,  that  one  form  should  always  be  de- 
rived from  another,  can  be  carried  out  here 
onl}'  with  great  difficulty,  owing  to  the  peculi- 
arity of  the  material.  It  is  therefore  frequently 
necessary,  particularly  with  the  more  compli- 
cated structures, to  lay  an  entirely  new  foun- 
dation for  the  building  to  be  erected. 

It  is  necessary,  at  all  times,  to  follow  the 
child  in  his  operations — his  questions  should 
always  be  answered  and  suggestions  made  to 
enlarge  the  circle  of  ideas. 

It  affords  an  abundance  of  pleasure  to  a  child 
to  observe  that  we  understand  him  and  his 
work,  it  is,  therefore,  a  great  mistake  in  edu- 
cation to  neglect  to  enter  fully  into  the  spirit 
of  the  pupil's  sphere  of  thinking  and  acting  ; 
and  if  we  ever  should  allow  ourselves  to  go  so 
far  as  to  ridicule  his  productions  instead  of 
assisting  him  to  improve  on  them,  we  would 
commit  a  most  fatal  error. 

The  selections  of  forms  of  life,  nearly  all  of 
which  are  in  the  meantime  forms  of  art  and 
knowledge,  because  of  their  architectural  fun- 
damental forms  and  the  mathematical  propor- 
tions of  their  single  parts,  can,  therefore,  not 
fail  to  give  nourishment  to  various  powers  of 
the  mind. 


ts        I  ,        'l    >        'I    .     "^ 


jy  pi  i  gii  a 


Fig.   1. 

House  Without    Roof;    back   wall    has   no 
door. 


140 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  2. 
Ground  Plan  for  House. 


Fig.  3. 
Colounade.      First   row,  five  oblong  blocks 
laid   lengthwise,  and   back  wall  consisting   of 
ten  standing  oblong  blocks  upon  which  are  ten 
square  blocks. 


Fig.  7. 
Monument  in  Honor  of  Some  Fallen  Hero. 
First  row, eight  oblong  blocks  ;  second,  square 
of  nine  square  blocks,  partially  constructed  of 
oblong  blocks  ;  third, four  single  square  blocks  ; 
then  four  columns,  four  single  square  blocks, 
square  of  four  square  blocks,  etc. 


Fig.   4. 
Hall,  with  Columns. 


Fig.   5. 
Summer  House.     Vestibule  formed  by  six 
columns. 


Fig.  8. 
Facade  of  a  Large  House. 


Fig.   6. 
Memorial  Column  of  the  Three  Friends. 


Fig.  9. 
The  Columns  of  the  Three  Heroes. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


141 


^    1 — 

ns^ .. 

J 

I 

ii    Hi 

i 

«J 

Fig.  10. 

Entrance  to  Hall  of  Fame.  First  row,  six 
square  and  six  oblong  blocks  ;  second  row,  six 
oblong  blocks  ;  third  row,  six  square  blocks, etc. 


Fig.   14. 
Front  View  of  a  Factory 


,v.. 

ii^ 

!!  i 

q  H 

_I|| 

Fig-.  11, 


Two  Story  House. 


Fio-.    12. 


Facade. 


Fig.   13. 
Covered  Summer  House. 


1 — r 

-iii — 

— uiir 

X          S. 

— h- 

\ 

_ 

1 

!- 

: 

4 

1 

I 

i 

1      ' 

1      - 

i 

1 

4 

I 

\, 

4 

4 

i 

Fig.  15. 
Double  Colonnade. 


Fig.   16. 


An  Altar. 


Fig.   17. 


Monument. 


142 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


WZJ 


Fig.  18. 
Columns  of  Concord. 

The  fantasy  of  the  child  is  inexhaustibly 
rich  in  inventing  new  forms.  It  creates  gar- 
dens, yards,  stables  with  horses  and  cattle, 
household  furniture  of  all  kinds,  beds  with 
sleeping  brothers  and  sisters  in  them,  tables, 
chairs,  sofas,  etc.,  etc. 

If  several  children  combine  their  individual 
building  they  produce  large  structures,  perfect 


barnyards  with  all  outbuildings  in  them,  nay, 
whole  villages  and  towns.  The  idea  that  in 
union  there  is  strength,  and  that  by  co-opera- 
tion great  things  may  be  accomplished,  will 
thus  early  become  manifest  to  the  young  mind. 
FORMS  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

These  also  appear  in  much  smaller  numbers 
compared  with  the  richness  and  multiplicity  of 
the  Fifth  Gift.  By  the  absence  of  oblique  (ob- 
tuse and  acute)  angles,  they  are  limited  to  the 
square  and  oblong,  and  exercises  introduced 
with  these  previously,  may  be  repeated  here 
with  advantage. 

All  Frcebel's  Gifts  are  remarkable  for  the 
peculiar  feature  that  they  can  be  rendered  ex- 
ceedingly instructive  by  frequently  introducing 
repetitions  under  varid  conditions  and  forms, 
by  which  means  we  are  sure  to  avoid  that  dry 
and  fatiguing  monotony  which  must  needs  re- 
sult from  repeating  the  same  thing  in  the  same 
manner  and  form.  And  still  more,  the  child, 
thereby,  becomes  accustomed  to  recognize  like 
in  unlike,  similarity  in  dissimilarity,  oneness 
in  multiplicity,  and  connection  in  the  appar- 
ently disconnected. 

In  Figs.  19-25  all  squares  that  can  be  formed 
with  the  Sixth  Gift  are  represented.  In  Fig.  26 
we  see  a  transition  from  the  forms  of  knowl- 
edge to  those  of  beauty. 


Mill 

1     i  --  j 

f    i     j  ■■  ■ 

- 

T 

[  -  if§p£H§j 

■ 

i 

-   - 

_ 

1        1       T~ 

~p 

ruTT 

Fig.  19. 


Fig.  20. 


Fig.  21. 


Fig.  22. 


Fig.  23. 


i 

i 

1 

[f!J 

! 

lit 

' 

. 

. 

7) 

i 

| r— 

- 

i    - 

- 

"    .-_L^i__ 

i   ; 

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— 

1     :     !     1      1     1     1      1 

MM    I 

1 

i  ■ 

Fig.  24. 


Fig.  25. 


Fig.  26. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


143 


FORMS  OF  BEAUTY. 

The  forms  of  beauty  of  this  Gift  offer  far 
less  diversity  than  those  of  Gift  No.  5  ;  owing, 
however,  to  the  peculiar  proportions  of  the 
plane,  they  present  sufficient  opportunity  for 
characteristic  representations,  not  to  be  neg- 
lected. 

We  give  in  Figs.  27-41  a  single  succession 
of  development  of  such  forms.  The  progres- 
sive changes  are  easily  recognized,  as  the  ob- 
long block  ,  which  needs  to  be  moved  to  pro- 
duce the  following  figure,  is  always  marked  by 
a  letter.     The  center-piece  always  consists  of 


two  of  the  little  columns,  standing  one  upon 
another,  and  important  modifications  may  be 
produced  by  using  the  oblong  blocks  in  lying 
or  standing  positions.  By  employing  the  four 
little  columns  in  various  ways  many  pleasant 
changes  can  be  produced  by  them. 

With  the  Sixth  Gift  we  reach  the  end  of  the 
two  series  of  development  given  by  Froebel  in 
the  building  blocks,  whose  aim  is  to  acquaint 
the  child  with  the  general  qualities  of  the  solid 
body  by  his  own  observation  and  occupation 
with  the  same. 


1 

:  i 

1  1 

! 

. 

.J_ 

-   "Ma 

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— 

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t 

1 

it 

"'1     ' 

— : 

;  '  r 

II 

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1 

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1°.'" 

1 

1 

— i    :    r    •: 

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1 

s 

" 

■-I 

| 

r — ■ 

ill               \        i 

; 

i 

"1 

1      ; 

--"-   J 

I           ^ 

lip! 

-.  _—  '  -- 

1      i 

Fig.  27. 


Fijj.   28. 


Fig.   29. 


Fig.  30. 


Fig.  31. 


Fig.  32. 


Fig.  33. 


Fig.  34. 


Fig.  35. 


144 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


' 

IsfeS 

1, 

II 

i 

1 

1 

i 

::l 

"T 

i 

I 

— [— 

;.;■-■ 

-; 

=  --:  -  -  5 

*      1 

^-:-.-  -~- 

i 

1 

p"     "  '      "j^5  T~ 

[  -  * 

!     ; 

Ij 

j 

,'; 

]  <  i 

i ! 

=-  - "-  i  -" 

T 

„.li 

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l— 

1 

Fig.  39. 


Fig.  40. 
EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


Fig.  41. 


"While  as  a  whole,  this  gift  is  more  like  the 
fifth  it  surpasses  that  gift  in  its  constructive 
capacity,  the  forms  built  being  more  complete 
and  finished,  and  requiring  more  delicacy  of 
touch,  as  they  are  of  a  lighter  and  more  grace- 
ful style  of  structure  and  more  easily  destroyed. 

The  column,  which  is  the  chief  characteristic 
of  the  gift,  and  which  was  foreshadowed  in  the 
fifth  gift  when  two  quarters  were  joined  by 
square  faces,  enables  the  children  to  build  high 
structures  resembling  Grecian  architecture,  be- 
side many  other  pleasing  forms  which  are  de- 
pendent upon  it. 

In  its  parts  this  gift  most  resembles  the 
fourth  gift,  and  the  forms  like  the  bricks  of 
that  gift,  can  stand,  lie  or  sit ;  the  different 
parts  also  serve  in  measuring  length,  breadth 
and  heiffhth. 


Although  not  so  rich  and  varied  in  forms  of 
symmetry  and  knowledge,  this  gift  is  more 
suitable  for  the  construction  of  life  forms  than 
any  of  the  previous  ones,  and  the  number  is  al- 
most unlimited,  the  material  being  especially 
adapted  for  the  forming  of  apertures.  It  al- 
lows the  use  of  more  forms  of  comparison  than 
the  other  gifts,  and  emphasizes  the  proportion 
of  different  parts  in  respect  to  size,  giving  a 
clear  idea  of  forms,  their  number  and  position. 

In  introducing  this  gift,  let  the  children  see  if 
they  can  find  any  old  friends  among  the  forms, 
then  count  the  edges,  faces  and  corners  of  the 
brick,  column  and  square  plinth.  Have  them 
compare  the  column  and  brick,  the  square  plinth 
and  brick,  and  the  column  and  square  plinth. 
Lead  them  to  see  how  the  forms  may  vary  in 
size  and  shape   and  yet  be  equal  in  volume. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


145 


Compare  this  gift  with  the  fifth  and  point  out 
the  different  ways  of  dividing  each.  By  sepa- 
rating this  gift  into  six  layers  the  children  may 
learn  the  number  of  bricks,  columns  and  square 
plinths  contained  in  it.  The  gift  may  be  di- 
vided among  three  children  by  separating  it 
into  three  groups,  each  consisting  of  two  layers 
which  they  will  see  is  one  third  of  the  gift.  The 
laying  out  of  the  gift  and  the  building  of  one 
form  may  constitute  a  lesson.  Then  these 
forms  may  be  built  and  joined  together ;  after- 
ward these  steps  may  all  be  retraced  to  the 
layer,  or  the  gift  may  be  built  up  direct  from 
the  last  form. 

Let  the  children  experiment  in  finding  and 
using  the  form  which  is  best  adapted  for  a  cer- 
tain purpose,  and  they  will  soon  see  how  the 
column  is  fitted  to  meet  certain  needs.  Give 
simple  directions  and  let  them  work  out  the 
rest  for  themselves,  having  a  definite  purpose 
in  view.  Ask  questions  as  to  which  form  is 
best  suited  for  their  purpose,  and  lead  them 
through  the  ideas  of  proportion  and  form  to 
reach  certain  results,  never  losing  sight  of  the 
idea  of  unity  in  any  building  the  children  may 
do.  As  soon  as  the  children  are  able,  let  each 
child  have  a  whole  gift,  then  sequences  may  be 
given  and  connected  by  a  story. 

A  LIFE  SEQUENCE. 

Separate  the  gift,  (Fig.  42)  into  six  layers, 
three  of  which  shall  each  contain  three  bricks 
and  three  square  plinths  ;  the  other  three  should 
consist  of  three  bricks,  two  columns  and  one 


face,  in  front  and  against  the  center  of  the  base 
and  the  remaining  brick  on  the  one  just  placed 
so  that  its  narrow  face  will  touch  the  square 
plinths.  These  bricks  form  the  steps.  Make 
two  similar  figures  with  the  remaining  two 
thirds,  as  in  Fig.  44. 


Fig.   43. 

Place  two  of  these  thirds  back  to  back  so 
that  the  steps  will  face  to  the  right  and  left ; 
and  against  the  front  of  this  figure,  place  the 
steps  from  the  remaining  third,  the  upper  brick 


Fig.  44. 
touching  the  square  plinths,  leaving  the  under 
brick  one  half  inch  from  the  base.  Lift  the 
remaining  part  of  the  third  form  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  three  bricks  which  make  the  base, 
and  stand  on  top  of  the  other  two  thirds,  with 
the  columns  right  and  left.  On  this  stand  one 
of  the  remaining  three  bricks,  the  narrow  face 
front.  Form  steps  of  the  other  two  bricks  and 
place  in  the  rear,  as  in  Fig.  45. 


Fig.   42. 

square  plinth,  which  are  placed  one  inch  back 
of  the  former  three  layers,  as  in  Fig.  43.  The 
front  and  hack  right-hand  layers  form  one  third 
of  the  gift,  with  which  we  first  build. 

Take  two  square  plinths  and  place  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  right  and  left  bricks  of  the  front  layer.  Fig.  45.  Fig. 46. 
On  each  square  plinth  stand  a  column,  face  Remove  the  standing  brick,  then  lift  the 
front,  and  place  a  square  plinth  on  top  of  each  upper  part  of  this  form  down  to  the  square 
column.  Then  lay  a  brick  from  right  to  left  on  plinths  which  are  on  top  of  the  lower  columns, 
its  broad  face,  on  top  of  the  two  square  plinths  and  put  it  one  side,  after  having  placed  the 
just  placed.     Lay  another  brick  on  its  broad    removed  brick  between  the  two  lower  bricks  to 


146 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


form  a  base  of  three  bricks.  Take  away  the 
steps  and  place  four  of  the  bricks  on  their 
broad  faces,  on  top  of  the  four  square  plinths, 
the  sides  running  right  and  left.  On  these 
place  the  remaining  four  bricks  on  their  broad 
faces,  the  sides  running  front  and  back.  Then 
stand  the  form  which  was  put  one  side  in  the 
center  of  these  four  bricks,  the  columns  being 
on  the  right  and  left,  Fig.  46. 

Remove  the  top,  including  the  base  of  three 
bricks,  and  place  at  the  right  of  the  figure,  the 
bases  touching  by  edges.      Remove  the  remain- 


Fig.  47. 

ing  two  layers  of  bricks  down  to  the  square 
plinths  on  the  columns  and  place  two  of  the 
bricks  with  edges  running  front  and  back,  on 
top  of  the  center  and  left  hand  square  plinths, 
forming  a  figure  similar  to  that  on  the  right 
hand.  Place  two  bricks  on  their  narrow  faces 
above  the  opening  at  the  right  with  the  edges 
extending  over  it.  Cover  these  with  a  brick 
placed  on  its  broad  face.  Repeat  this  over  the 
opening  at  the  left,  as  in  Fig.  47. 


Fig.   48. 

Remove  the  six  bricks  just  placed  on  top, 
and  then  turn  the  three  sections  of  the  figure 
half-way  round,  placing  them  in  a  line  running 
right  and  left,  with  an  opening  one  inch  wide 
between  each  section.  Stand  a  brick  with 
narrow  face  front,  upon  the  exposed  corners  of 
the  four  center  square  plinths,  and  cover  with 
the  two  remaining  bricks  placed  on  their  broad 
faces,  forming  two  archways,  Fig.  48. 


Of  the  two  archways  form  steps  for  the  three 
sections  and  we  have  the  three  original  thirds, 
which  the  children  may  easily  separate  into 
layers,  and  then  build  up  into  the  gift,  the 
layers  alternating. 

A  BEAUTY  .SEQUENCE. 

The  fundamental  form  is  an  enclosed  hexa- 
gon made  with  all  the  bricks,  three  of  them 
forming  each  oideof  the  hexagon.  Within  the 
enclosed  space  is  a  hexagon  formed  with  square 
plinths,  the  face  of  each  plinth  being  directly 
opposite  the  central  brick  of  the  outer  hexagon. 
In  the  spaces  of  the  large  hexagon  is  a  square 
plinth  touching  adjacent  sides  by  corners,  and 
at  the  outer  edge  of  the  plinth  is  a  column  touch- 
ing the  center  of  each  plinth  by  its  square  face, 
Fig.  49. 


Fig.   49. 

Push  the  center  brick  of  each  side  of  the 
hexagon  toward  the  inner  hexagon  until  their 
small  faces  meet,  Fig.  50. 

Remove  the  square  plinths  forming  the  inner 
hexagon  to  the  space  directly  opposite  on  the 
outer  hexagon.  Form  a  new  inner  hexagon 
with  the  square  faces  of  the  columns,  Fig.  51. 

Push  the  bricks  back  to  their  original  posi- 
tions, Fig.  52. 

Move  the  square  plinths  in  the  spaces  out 
until  two  angles  are  in  line  with  the  angles  of 
the  adjacent  bricks.  Remove  the  columns 
from  the  center  to  the  outside,  and  let  them 
touch  the  plinths  by  their  long  faces.  Fig.   5:>. 

Push  the  center  brick  of  each  side  of  the  hexa- 
gon toward  the  center  of  the  form,  the  angles 
meeting  and  outlining  a  small  hexagon,  Fig.  54. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


147 


Fig.  50. 


Fig.   51. 


rr 


Fig.  54. 


Fiff.  52. 


Fig.  55. 


148 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Turn    the    square    plinths  with  one  angle        Move  the  plinths  nearest  the  hexagon  to  the 
toward  the  center  of  the  form,  Fig.  55.  spaces  of  the  hexagon.     Move  the  center  bricks 

Move  the  columns  along  until  they  touch  the    back  to  their  original  positions,  Fig.  57. 

Change  the  columns  so  that  they  will  touch 


Fig.  56.  Fig.   57. 

outer  angle  of  the  plinth  next  to  them  by  the  the  last  plinths  moved  by  their  square  faces, 

center  of  their  long  faces.     Move  the  remain-  Place  the  remaining  plinths  in  the  center  to 

ing  plinths  to  touch  the  columns  on  their  outer  from  a  small  hexagon,  and  we  have  the  origi- 

faces  by  an  angle,  Fig.  56.  nal  form. 


THE  SEVENTH  GIFT. 
SQUARE  AND  TRIANGULAR  TABLETS  FOR  LAYING  OF  FIGURES. 


All  mental  development  begins  with  con- 
crete beings.  The  material  world  with  its  mul- 
tiplicity of  manifestations  first  attracts  the 
senses  and  excites  them  to  activity,  thus  caus- 
ing the  rudimental  operations  of  the  mental 
powers.  Gradually — only  after  many  proc- 
esses, little  defined  and  explained  by  any  sci- 
ence as  yet,  have  taken  place — man  becomes 
enabled  to  proceed  to  higher  mental  activity, 
from  the  original  impressions  made  upon  his 
senses  by  the  various  surroundings  in  the  ma- 
terial world. 

The  earliest  impressions,  it  is  true,  if  often 
repeated,  leave  behind  them  a  lasting  trace 
on  the  mind.  But  between  this  attained  pos- 
sibility to  recall  once-made  observations  to 
represent  the  object  perceived  by  our  senses, 
by  mental  image  (imagination),  and  the  real 
thinking  or  reasoning,  the  real  pure  abstrac- 
tion, there  is  a  very  long  step,  and  nothing  in 
our  whole  system  of  education  is  more  worthy 
of  consideration  than  the  sudden  and  abrupt 
transition  from  a  life  in  the  concrete,  to  a  life 
of  more  or  less  abstract  thinking  to  which  our 
children  are  submitted  when  entering  school 
from  the  parental  house. 

Froebel,  by  a  long  series  of  occupation  ma- 
terial, has  successfully  bridged  over  this  chasm 
which  the  child  has  to  traverse,  and  the  first 
place  among  it,  the  laying  tablets  of  various 
forms  occupy. 

The  series  of  tablets  is  contained  in  five 
boxes  containing : — 

A.  Quadrangular  square  tablets. 

B.  Right  angular  (equal  sides).     )    rp  . 

C.  Equilateral.  I         ,D~ 

>    gular 


D.  Obtuse  angular  (equal sides). 


tablets. 


E.  Right  angular  (unequal  sides) 
The  child  was  heretofore  engaged  with  solid 
bodies,  and  in  the  representation  of  real  things. 
He  produced  a  house,  garden,  sofa,  etc.  It  is 
true  the  sofa  was  not  a  sofa  as  it  is  seen  in 
reality ;  the  one  built  by  the  child,  was  there- 
fore, so  to  say,  an  image  already,  but  it  was 
a  bodily  image,  so  much  so  that  the  child 
could  place  upon  it  a  little  something  repre- 
senting his  doll.  The  child  considered  it  a 
real  sofa,  and  so  it  was  to  the  child,  fulfilling, 
as  it  did,  in  his  little  world,  the  purposes  of 
a  real  sofa  in  real  life. 


With  the  tablets  the  embodied  planes,  the 
child  cannot  represent  a  sofa,  but  a  form  simi- 
lar to  it ;  an  image  of  the  sofa  can  be  produced 
by  arranging  the  squares  and  triangles  iu  a 
certain  order. 

We  shall  see,  at  some  future  time,  how 
Froebel  continues  on  this  road,  progressing 
from  the  plane  to  the  line,  from  the  line  to 
the  point  and  finally  enables  the  child  to  draw 
the  image  of  the  object,  with  pencil  or  pen  in 
his  own  little  hand. 

THE  QUADRANGULAR  LAYING  TAB- 
LETS (Squares). 

(See  Figs,  i — 15). 

In  a  similar  way  as  was  done  with  the  va- 
rious building  gifts,  the  child  is  led  to  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  various  qualities  of  the 
new  material,  and  to  compare  it,  with  other 
things,  possessing  similar  qualities.  It  is  ad- 
visable to  let  the  child  understand  the  connec- 
tion existing  between  this  and  the  previous 
gifts.  The  laying  tablets  are  nothing  but  the 
embodied  planes,  or  separated  sides  of  the 
cube.  Cover  all  the  sides  of  a  cube  with 
square  tablets  and  after  the  child  has  recog- 
nized the  cube  in  the  body  thus  formed,  let  it 
separate  the  tablets  one  by  one,  from  the  cube 
hidden  by  them. 

The  following,  or  similar  questions  are  here 
to  be  introduced  : — What  is  the  form  of  this 
tablet  ?  How  many  sides  has  it  ?  How  many 
angles  ?  Look  carefully  at  the  sides.  Are  they 
alike  or  unlike  each  other?  They  are  all  alike. 
Now  look  at  the  corners.  These  also  are  all 
alike.     Where  have  you  seen  similar  figures  ? 

What  are  such  figures  called  ?  Can  you  show 
me  angles  somewhere  else?  Where  the  two 
walls  meet  is  an  angle.  Here,  there  and  every- 
where you  find  angles. 

But  all  angles  are  not  alike,  and  they  are 
therefore  differently  named.  All  these  dif- 
ferent names  you  will  learn  successively,  but 
now  let  us  turn  to  our  tablet.  Place  it  right 
straight  before  you  upon  the  table.  Can  you 
tell  me  now  what  direction  these  two  sides 
have  which  form  the  angle  ?  The  one  is  hori- 
zontal, the  other  vertical.  An  angle  which  is 
formed  if  a  vertical  meets  a  horizontal  line,  is 
called    a   right   angle-      How  many  of  such 


150 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


angles  can  you  count  on  your  tablet?  Four. 
Show  me  such  right  angles  somewhere  else. 

By  the  acquisition  of  this  knowledge  the 
child  has  made  an  important  step  forward. 
Looking  for  horizontal  and  vertical  lines,  and 
for  right  angles,  he  is  led  to  investigate  more 
deeply  the  relations  of  form,  which  he  had 
heretofore  observed  only  in  regard  to  the  size 
conditioned  by  it. 

The  child's  attention  should  be  drawn  to  the 
fact  that,  however  the  tablet  may  be  placed 
the  angles  always  remain  right  angles  though 
the  lines  are  horizontal  and  vertical  only  in 
four  positions  of  the  tablet,  namely,  those 
where  the  edges  of  the  tablet  are  placed  in  the 
same  direction  with  the  lines  on  the  table  be- 
fore the  child.  This  will  give  occasion  to  lead 
the  child  to  a  general  perception  of  the  stand- 
ing or  hanging  of  objects  according  to  the 
plummet. 

But  the  tablet  will  force  still  another  obser- 
vation upon  the  child.  The  opposite  sides 
have  an  equal  direction  ;  they  are  the  same 
distance  from  each  other  in  all  their  points  ; 
they  never  meet,  however  many  tablets  the 
child  may  add  to  each  other  to  form  the  lines. 

The  child  learns  that  such  lines  are  called 
parallel  lines.  He  has  observed  such  lines 
frequently  before  this,  but  begins  just  now  to 
understand  their  real  being  and  meaning.  He 
looks  now  with  much  more  interest  than  ever 
before  at  surrounding  tables,  chairs,   closets, 


houses,  with  their  straight  line  ornaments, 
for  now  the  little  cosmopolitan  does  not  only 
receive  the  impressions  made  by  the  surround- 
ings upon  his  senses,  but  he  already  looks  for 
something  in  them,  an  idea  of  which  lives  in 
his  mind.  Although  unconscious  of  the  fact 
that  with  the  right  angle  and  the  parallel  line, 
he  received  the  elements  of  architecture,  it 
will  pleasantly  incite  him  to  new  observations 
whenever  he  finds  them  again  in  another  ob- 
ject which  attracts  his  attention. 

The  teacher  in  remembrance  of  our  oft- 
repeated  hints,  will  proceed  slowly,  and  care- 
fully, according  to  the  desire  and  need  of  the 
child.  She  repeats,  explains,  leads  the  child 
to  make  the  same  observations  in  the  most 
different  objects,  and  changing  circumstances, 
or  guides  the  child  in  laying  other  forms  of 
knowledge,  (lying  or  standing  parallelograms 
Fig.  4  and  5),  of  life,  (Steps,  Fig.  6  and  8, 
double  steps,  Fig.  7  and  9,  door,  Fig.  10,  sofa, 
Fig.  1  1.  cross,  Fig.  12),  or  forms  of  beauty, 
(Figs.  13,  14  and  15). 

The  number  of  these  fonns  is  on  the  whole 
only  very  limited.  It  is  well  now  to  augment 
the  number  of  tablets  in  the  bauds  of  the  pu- 
pil, by  two,  when  a  much  larger  number  of 
forms  can  be  produced.  The  various  series 
of  forms  of  beauty,  introduced  with  the  third 
Gift,  can  be  repeated  here  and  enlarged  upon, 
according  to  the  change  in  the  material  now 
at  the  disposal  of  the  child. 


r    ■■ 

I        1        1        I        !        1 

— (— 

1 



I 

i 

1  1 

|        J 

j 

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i  I 

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— * 

1 

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i  ! 

Fig,  1.  Fig.  2.  Fig.  3.     Fig.  4.        Fig.  5.        Fig.  6.        Fig,  7. 


Fig.  8. 


Fig.  9. 


Fig.  K). 


Fig.  11.         Fig.  12.       Fig.  13. 


Fig.  14.  Fig.  15. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


151 


RIO HT- ANGLED  TRIANGL ES . 

(See  Figs.  16 — 59J. 

As  from  the  whole  cube,  the  divided  cube 
was  produced,  so  by  division  the  triangle 
springs  from  the  square.  By  dividing  it  di- 
agonally in  halves,  we  produce  the  rectangu- 
lar triangle  with  two  equal  sides. 

Although  the  form  of  the  triangle  was  pre- 
sented to  the  child  in  connection  with  the  Fifth 
Gift,  it  here  appears  more  independently,  and 
it  is  not  only  on  that  account  necessary  to  ac- 
quaint the  child  with  the  qualities  and  being 
of  the  new  addition  to  his  occupation  material, 
but  still  more  so  because  the  forms  of  the  tri- 
angles with  which  as  a  natural  sequence  he 
will  have  to  do  hereafter,  will  be  entirely  un- 
known to  the  pupil.  The  child  places  two  tri- 
angles, joined  to  form  a  square  upon  the  table. 

What  kind  of  a  line  divides  your  four- 
cornered  tablet?  An  oblique  or  slanting  line. 
In  what  direction  does  the  line  cut  your  square 
in  two?  From  the  right  upper  corner  to  the  left 
lower  corner.     Such  a  line  we  call  a  diagonal. 

Separate  the  two  parts  of  the  square,  and 
look  at  each  one  separately.  What  do  you 
call  each  of  these  parts  ?  What  did  you  call 
the  whole?  A  square.  How  many  corners  or 
angles  had  the  square?  Four.  How  many 
corners  or  angles  has  the  half  of  the  square 
you  are  looking  at?  Three.  This  half,  there- 
fore, is  called  a  triangle,  because,  as  I  have 
explained  to  you  before,  it  has  three  angles. 
How  many  sides  has  your  triangle?  etc. 

Looking  at  the  sides  more  attentively,  what 
do  you  observe?  One  side  is  long,  the  other 
two  are  shorter,  and  like  each  other.  These 
latter  are  as  large  as  the  sides  of  the  square, 
all  sides  of  which  were  alike. 

Now  tell  me  what  kind  of  angle  it  is,  that 
is  formed  by  these  two  equal  sides?  It  is  a 
right  angle.  Why?  and  what  will  you  call  the 
other  two  angles?  How  do  the  sides  run  which 
form  these  two  angles  ?  They  run  in  such  a 
way  as  to  form  a  very  sharp  point,  and  these 
angles  are,  therefore  called  acute  angles,  which 
means  sharp-pointed  angles.  Your  triangle 
lias  then,  how  many  different  kinds  of  angles? 
Two ;  one  right  angle,  and  two  acute  angles. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  mention  that  the  above 
is  not  to  be  taught  in  one  lesson.  It  should 
be  presented  in  various  conversations,  lest  the 
acquired  knowledge  might  not  be  retained  by 
even  the  briohtest  child.    The  attention  of  the 


pupil  may  also  be  led,  in  subsequent  conver- 
sations to  the  fact  that  the  largest  side  is  op- 
posite the  largest  angle,  and  that  the  two 
angles  are  alike,  etc.  Sufficient  opportunity 
for  these  and  additional  remarks  will  offer 
itself  during  the  representations  of  forms  of 
life,  of  knowledge,  and  of  beauty,  for  which 
the  child  will  employ  his  tablets,  according  to 
his  own  free  will,  and  which  are  not  neces- 
sarily to  be  separated,  neither  here  nor  in  any 
other  part  of  these  occupations,  although  it  is 
well  to  observe  a  certain  order  at  any  time. 

Whenever  it  can  be  done,  elementary  knowl- 
edge ma3T  well  be  imparted,  together  with  the 
representations  of  forms  of  life,  and  forms  of 
beauty. 

In  order  to  invent,  the  child  must  have  ob- 
served the  various  positions  which  a  triangle 
may  occupy.  It  will  find  these  acting  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  of  opposites,  already  familiar 
to  the  child. 

The  right  angle,  placed  to  the  right  front, 
(  Fig.  17)  will  bring  it  into  the  opposite  posi- 
tion to  the  J ^t't  back,  (Fig.  18)  then  into  the 
mediative  positions,  to  the  left  front,  (Fig.  19  ) 
and  to  the  right  hack,  (Fig.  20).  By  turning, 
the  right  angle  comes  back  of  the  long  side. 
(  Fig.  21)  and  in  the  opposite  position  it  comes 
to  the  front  of  the  Hypothenuse,  (  Fig.  22  )  then 
to  the  right,  (Fig.  23)  and  finally  to  the  left  of 
it.    (Fig.  24). 

The  various  positions  of  two  triangles  are 
easily  found  by  moving  one  of  them  around 
the  other.  Figs.  26-31  are  produced  from  Fig. 
25,  by  moving  the  back  triangle,  in  six  steps, 
around  the  other  triangle,  always  keeping  it  in 
its  original  position. 

In  Figs.  32-37,  the  changes  are  produced, 
alternating  regularly  between  a  turn  and  a 
move  of  the  back  triangle.  In  Figs.  3*- 17. 
simply  turning  takes  place. 

After  the  child  has  become  acquainted  with 
the  first  elements  from  which  its  formations 
develop,  it  receives  for  a  beginning  four  of 
the  triangled  tablets.  It  then  places  the  right 
angles  together,  and  thereby  forms  a  stand- 
ing full  square.    (  Fig.  48). 

By  placing  the  tablets  in  an  opposite  posi- 
tion turning  the  right  angles  from  within  to 
without,  it  produces  a  lying  square  with  the 
hollow  in  the  middle,  (Fig.  4!>).  This  hollow 
space  has  the  same  shape  and  dimensions  as 
Fig.  4<s.  The  child  will  fancy  Fig.  48  into  the 


152 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


place  of  this  hollow  space,  and  will  thereby 
transfer  the  idea  of  a  full  square  upon  an 
empty  or  hollow  one,  and  will  consequently 
make  the  first  step  from  the  perception  of  the 
concrete  to  its  idea,  the  abstraction. 

The  child  will  now  easily  find  mediative 
forms  between  these  two  opposites.  It  places 
two  right  angles  within  and  two  without,  ( Figs. 
58  and  59)  two  front  and  two  back  (Fig.  50) 
two  to  the  right,  and  two  to  the  left  (Fig.  51). 

So  far,  twro  tablets  always  remained  con- 
nected with  one  another.  By  separating  them 
we  produce  the  new  mediative  forms,  Figs.  52, 
53,  54  and  55,  in  which  again  two  and  two  are 
opposites.  But  instead  of  the  right,  the  acute 
angle  may  meet  in  a  point  also,  and  thus  Figs. 
56  and  57  are  produced,  which  are  called  ro- 
tation forms,  because  the  isolated  position  of 
the  right  angle  suggests,  as  it  were,  an  incli- 
nation to  fall,  or  turn,  or  rotate. 

The  mediation  between  these  twro  opposite 
figures  is  given  in  Figs.  50  and  51 — between 


them  and  Figs.  49  and  50  in  Figs.  58  and  59  ; 
and  it  should  be  remarked  in  this  connection, 
that  these  opposites  are  conditioned  by  the 
position  of  the  right  angle  in  all  these  cases. 
All  these  exercises  accustom  the  pupil  to  a 
methodic  handling  of  all  his  material.  They 
develop  a  correct  use  of  his  eye,  because  regu- 
lar figures  will  only  be  produced  when  his  tab- 
lets are  placed  correctly  and  exactly  in  their 
places  shown  by  the  network  on  the  table. 
The  precaution  which  must  be  exercised  by 
the  child  not  to  disturb  the  easily  movable 
tablets,  and  the  care  employed  to  keep  each 
in  its  place,  are  of  the  greatest  importance  for 
future  necessary  dexterity  of  hand.  In  a  still 
greater  degree  than  by  these  simple  elemen- 
tary forms  just  described,  this  will  be  the  case, 
when  the  pupil  comes  into  possession  of  a  larger 
number  of  tablets — up  to  sixty-four — for  the 
formation  of  more  complicated  figures,  ac- 
cording to  the  free  exercise  of  his  fantasy. 


L 

A 

— 

— 

1|| 

■•''' 

dt 

/ 

\ 

ii 

A 

\ 

H 

/ 

% 

\ 

Ilk. 

Figures      16,       17,         18,       19,        20,  21,  22,         23,  24,  25,  26. 


3 


3 


kv 


Figures  27,       2«,  29,  30,        31,      32,       33,       34,  35,  36, 


X 


I   1   i 


Figures  38,  39,  40,  41, 


12.  43, 


44, 


45, 


46. 


Figures    48,       49,       50,       51,    .   52,       53,       54, 


5,       56,       57,       58,         59. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


153 


FORMS  OF  LIFE. 

(See  Figs.  60— So.) 

All  hints  given  in  connection  with  the  build- 
ing blocks,  are  also  to  be  followed  here,  with 
this  difference  only,  that  we  now  produce  ima- 
ages  of  objects,  whereas,  heretofore  we  united 
the  objects  themselves. 

With  four  tablets  the  child  forms  Fig. 
60,  a  flower  pot.  Fig.  61,  a  little  garden- 
house.  Fig.  62,  a  pigeon-house. 

With  eight  tablets  Fig.  63,  a  cottage.  Fig. 
64,  a  canoe  or  boat.  Fig.  65,  a  covered  goblet. 
Fig.  66,  a  lighthouse.    Fig.  67,  a  clock. 

With  sixteen  tablets  Fig.  68,  a  bridge  with 
twospans.  Fig.  69, large  gate.  Fig.  70,achurch. 
Fig.  71,  a  gate  with  belfry.  Fig.  72,  a  fruit 
basket. 

With  thirty-two  tablets  Fig.  73,  a  peasant's 
house.  Fig.  74,  a  forge  with  high  chimney.  Fig. 
75,  a  coffee-mill.  Fig.  76,  a  coffee-pot  without 
handle. 

With  sixty-four  tablets  Fig.  77,  a  two-story 
house.  Fig.  78,  entrance  to  a  railroad  depot. 
Fig.  79,  a  steamboat. 

In  Fig.  80,  we  see  the  result  of  combined 
activity  of  many  children.  Although  to  some 
grown  persons  it  may  appear  as  if  the  images 
produced  do  not  bear  much  resemblance  to 
Avhat  they  are  intended  to  represent,  it  should 
be  remembered  that  in  most  cases,  the  chil- 
dren themselves  have  given  the  names  to 
the  representations.  Instructive  conversatiou 
should  also  prevent  this  drawing  with  planes, 
as  it  were,  from  being  a  mere  mechanical  pas- 
time ;  the  entertaining,  living  word  must  in- 


fuse soul  into  the  activity  of  the  hand  and  its 
creations.  Each  representation,  then,  will 
speak  to  the  child  and  each  object  in  the 
world  of  nature  and  art  will  have  a  story  to 
tell  to  the  child  in  a  language  for  which  he 
will  be  well  prepared. 

We  need  not  indicate  how  these  conversa- 
tions should  be  carried  on,  or  what  they  should 
contain.  Who  would  not  think  in  connection 
with  the  pigeon-house,  of  the  beautiful  white 
birds  themselves,  and  the  nest  they  build  ;  the 
white  eggs  they  lay,  the  tender  young  pigeons 
coming  from  them,  and  the  care  with  which 
the  old  ones  treat  the  young  ones,  until  they 
are  able  to  take  care  of  themselves?  An  ap- 
plication of  these  relations  to  those  between 
parents  and  children,  and,  perhaps  those  be- 
tween God  and  man,  who,  as  His  children  en- 
joy His  kindness  and  love  every  moment  of 
their  lives,  maybe  made,  according  to  circum- 
stances— all  depending  on  the  development  of 
the  children.  However,  care  should  always  be 
taken  not  to  present  to  them,  what  might  be 
called  abstract  morals  which  the  young  mind 
is  unable  to  grasp,  and  which,  if  thus  forced 
upon  it  cannot  fail  to  be  injurious  to  moral  de- 
velopment. The  aim  of  all  education  should 
be  love  of  the  good,  beautiful,  noble,  and  sub- 
lime ;  but  nothing  is  more  apt  to  kill  this  very 
love,  ere  it  is  born,  than  the  monotony  of  dry, 
dull  preaching  of  morals  to  young  children. 
Words  not  so  much  as  deeds — actual  experi- 
ences in  the  life  of  the  child,  are  its  most  natu- 
ral teachers  in  this  important  branch  of  edu- 
cation. 


^ 


Fig.60.  Fig.  61.  Fig.  62-    Fig.  63.         Fig.  64.     Fig.  65.      Fig.  66.         Fig.  67. 


Fisr.  68. 


Fig.  69.  Fig.  70 


Fig.  71.  Fig.  72. 


154 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


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Fig.   73. 


Fig.   74. 


Fig.  75. 


Fig.  76. 


Fig.   77. 


Fig.   78. 


Fig.   79. 


Fig.  80. 


FORMS  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

(See  Figs.  Si — 94). 

These  tablets  are,  especially  qualified  to 
bring  to  the  observation  of  the  child  different 
sizes  of  the  same  forms  and  equal  sizes  in  dif- 
ferent forms. 

By  joining  two,  four  and  eight  tablets,  we 
become  acquainted  with  the  regular  figures 
which  may  be  formed  with  them,  as  shown  in 
Figs.  81-86.  These  with  the  exception  of  Fig. 
81  are  made  from  the  four  triangles  arranged 
in  different  forms. 

Figs.  87,  88  and  89  show  triangles  of  which 
each  is  double  the  size  of  the  previous  one. 
In  the  squares  shown  in  Figs.  90  and  91,  the 
latter  is  double  the  size  of  the  former.     Figs. 


92-94  show  two  triangles  of  the  same  size  laid 
to  produce  different  forms. 

That  the  contemplation  of  these  figures  and 
the  occupation  with  them,  must  tend  to  facili- 
tate the  understanding  of  geometrical  axioms  in 
the  future,  who  can  doubt?  And  who  can  gain- 
say that  mathematical  instruction,  by  means  of 
Froebel's  methods  must  needs  be  facilitated, 
and  better  results  obtained?  That  such  in- 
struction, will  be  rendered  more  fruitful  for 
practical  life,  is  a  fact  which  will  be  obvious  to 
all,  who  simply  glance  at  our  figures,  even  with- 
out a  thorough  explanation.  They  contain 
demonstratively  the  larger  number  of  the  axi- 
oms in  elementary  geometry,  which  relate  to 
the  conditions  of  the  plane  in  regular  figures. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


155 


For  the  present  purpose,  it  is  sufficient  if 
the  child  learns  to  distinguish  the  various  kinds 
of  angles,  if  he  knows  that  the  right  angles  are 
all  equally  large,  the  acute  angles  smaller,  and 
the  obtuse  angles  larger  than  a  right  angle, 
which  the  child  will  easily  understand  by  put- 
ting oue  upon  another.  A  deeper  insight  in 
the  matter  must  be  reserved  for  the  primary 
department  of  instruction. 


constantly  touch  one  another.  The  opposite 
— long  side  touching  short — we  have  in  Fig. 
117,  and  by  traveling  from  right  to  left  of  half 
the  triangles,  Figs.  1 17-122  are  obtained.  We 
would  have  secured  a  much  larger  number  of 
forms,  if  we  had  not  interrupted  progress  by 
turning  the  triangles  produced  by  Fig.   121. 

In   the   fundamental    forms    Figs.    105   and 
117,   the  sides  touched  one  another.   Fig.  128 


A 


Fig.  81.     Fig.  82.      Fig.  83.        Fig.  84. 


Fig.  85. 


Fig.  86. 


Fig.  87, 


Fig.  88. 


Fig.  89.       Fig.  90.       Fig.  91.  Fig.  92.  Fig.  93.        Fig.  94. 


FORMS  OF  BEAUTY. 

(See  Figs.  95 — 151). 

(  hving  to  the  multiplicity  of  elementary  forms 
to  be  made  with  the  triangles,  the  number  of 
Forms  of  Beauty  is  very  large,  and  the  great  di- 
versity and  beauty  of  the  forms  produced  by  the 
triangle,  square,  rhomb,  hexagon  and  octagon, 
lend  a  lasting  charm  to  the  child's  occupation. 
His  inventive  power  and  desire,  led  by  law, 
will  find  constant  satisfaction,  and  to  give  sat- 
isfaction in  the  fullest  measure  should  be  a  pro- 
minent feature  of  all  systems  of  education. 

FORMS    BUILT    WITH    EIGHT    TABLETS. 

In  working  with  this  number  we  can  illus- 
trate the  most  varied  principles.  Figs.  95-104 
are  obtained  by  doubling  the  forms  produced 
by  four  tablets^  (Figs.  48-5'.)).  Figs.  105-116 
start  from  the  fundamental  form  Fig.  105, 
making  one-half  of  the  tablets  move  from  left 
to  right,  the  length  of  one  side,  with  each 
move.  New  figures  would  be  produced  if  we 
moved  from  right  to  left  in  a  similar  manner. 
In  these  figures,  sides  always  touch  sides,  and 
corners  touch  corners — consequently,  parts  of 
the  same  kind. 

The  transition  or  mediation  between  these 
two  opposites,  the  touching  of  corners  and 
sides,  would  be  produced  by  shortening  the 
movement  of  the  traveling  triangle  one-hall', 
permitting  it  to  proceed  one-half  side  only. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  fundamental  form 
Fig.  105.   In  it,  either  long  sides  or  short  sides 


shows  that  they  may  touch  at  the  corners  only. 
In  this  figure,  the  right  angles  are  without ;  in 
Figs.  124  and  125,  they  are  within.  Fig.  125 
is  the  mediation  between  Figs.  105  and  124, 
for  in  Fig.  105  four  tablets  touch  with  their 
sides  and  in  Fig.  124  four  with  the  corners. 
Fig.  126  is  the  opposite  of  Fig.  125,  full  cen- 
ter, (empty  center),  and  mediation  between 
Figs.  123  and  12-1— (four  right  angles  with- 
out, as  in  Fig.  123  and  four  within,  as  in  Fig. 
121).  It  is  already  seen,  from  these  indica- 
tions, what  a  treasure  of  forms  enfolds  itself 
here. 

FORMS    BUILT    WITH    SIXTEEN    TABLETS. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  exhaust  them. 
Least  of  all,  should  it  be  the  task  of  this  work 
to  do  this,  when  it  is  only  intended  to  show 
how  the  productive  self-occupation  of  the  pu- 
pil can  fittingly  be  assisted.  We  believe,  be- 
sides, that  we  have  given  a  sufficient  number 
of  ways  on  which  fantasy  may  travel,  perfectly 
sure  of  finding  constantly  new,  beautiful,  eye 
and  taste  developing  formations.  We,  there- 
fore, add  Figs.  127-141  which  are  produced 
by  quadrupling  some  of  the  elementary  forms 
given  in  Figs.  48-59,  and  also  Figs.  142-144 
which  indicate  how  new  series  of  forms  of 
beauty  may  be  developed  from  each  of  these 
forms.  It  must  be  evident,  even  to  the  casual 
observer,  how  here  also  the  law  of  opposites, 
and  their  junction  was  observed.  Opposites 
are    Figs.   127  and  12<S  ;    mediation    Figs.   129 


156 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


and  130  ;  opposites,  Figs.  131  and  132  ;  medi- 
ation Pigs.  133,  134  and  135  ;  opposites,  Figs. 
136  and  137  ;   mediation  Fig.  138,  etc. 

FORMS    BUILT    WITH    THIRTY-TWO    TABLETS. 

As  heretofore,  we  proceed  here,  also,  in  the 
same  manner,  by  multiplying  the  given  ele- 
ments, or  by  means  of  further  development, 
according  to  the  law  of  opposites.  As  an  ex- 
ample, we  give  Figs.  145-14<S,  the  members 
of  which  are  produced  by  a  four-fold  junction 
of  the  elements  of  Figs.  1  03  and  104.  Figs. 
145  and  146  are  opposites;  Figs.  147  and  148 
arc  mediative  forms. 

FORMS    BUILT    WITH    SIXTY-FOUR    TABLETS. 

Here,  also,  the  combined  activity  of  many 
children  will  result  in  forms  most  interesting. 
There  is  another  feature  of  this  combined  ac- 
tivity not  to  be  forgotten.  The  children  are  busy 
obeying  the  same  law ;  the  same  aim  unites 
them — one  helps  the  other.     Thus  the  condi- 


tions of  human  society — family,  community, 
states,  etc., — are  already  here  shown  in  their 
effects.  A  system  of  education  which,  so  to 
speak,  by  mere  play,  leads  the  child  to  ap- 
preciate those  requisites,  by  compliance  with 
which  it  can  successfully  occupy  its  position 
as  man  in  the  future,  certainly  deserves  the 
epithet  of  a  natural  and  rational  one. 

Figs.  141),  150  and  151  are  enlarged  pro- 
ductions from  Figs.  131  and  132.  They  are 
planned  in  such  a  way,  as  to  admit  of  being 
continued  in  all  directions,  and  thus  serve  to 
carry  out  the  representation  of  a  very  large 
design. 

After  having  acted  so  far,  according  to  in- 
dications made  here,  it  is  now  advisable  to 
start  from  the  fundamental  forms  presented 
in  the  Fifth  Gift  and  to  use  them,  with  the 
necessary  modifications,  in  farther  occupying 
the  pupils  with  the  tablets. 


Fig.  95.    Fig.  96.  Fig.  97.      Fig.  98.      Fig.  99.  Fig.  100.    Fig.  101.       Fig.  102. 


rn — r 


yr;^ 


^+ 


z 


L^ 


Fig.  103. 


Fig.  104.        Fig,  105. 


Fig.  106. 


Fig.  107.        Fie.  108. 


V 


Fig.  109.         Fig.  110.        Fig.  111.        Fig.  112.        Fig.  113.        Fig.  114. 


k; 

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Fig.  115.  Fig.  116.  Fig.  117.        Fig.  118.        Fig.  119.        Fig,  120. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


157 


Fig.  121.     Fig.  122.  Fig.  123.  Fig.  124.         Fig.  125.         Fig.  126. 


Fig.  127.         Fig.  128.         Fig.  129.        Fig.  130.         Fig.  131.  Fig.  132. 


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Fig.  133.         Fig.  134.  Fig.  135.  Fig.  136.         Fig.  137.        Fig.  138. 


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Fig.  139.  Fig.  140.        Fig.  141.         Fig.  142.         Fig.  143.        Fig.  144. 


Fig.  145. 


Fig.  146. 


Fig.  147. 


Fig.  148. 


158 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


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Fig.  149.  Fig. 

THE  EQUILATERAL  TRIANGLE. 

(See  Figs.  152 — 227). 

So  far  the  right  angle  has  predominated  in 
the  occupations  with  the  tablets,  and  the  acute 
angle  only  appeared  in  subordinate  relations. 
Now  it  is  the  latter  alone  which  governs  the 
actions  of  the  child  in  producing  forms  and 
figures. 

The  child  will  naturally  compare  the  equila- 
teral triangle,  which  he  now  receives  with  the 
isosceles,  right-angled  tablet  already  known  to 
him.  Both  have  three  sides,  both  three  angles, 
but  on  close  observation  not  only  their  simi- 
larities, but  also  their  dissimilarities  will  be- 
come apparent.  The  three  angles  of  the  new 
triangle  are  all  smaller  than  a  right  angle,  are 
acute  angles  and  the  three  sides  are  just  alike, 
hence  the  name — equilateral — meaning  llequal 
sided"  triangle. 

Joining  two  of  these  equilateral  tablets  the 
child  will  discover  that  it  cannot  form  a  tri- 
angle, square  or  any  of  the  regular  figures  pre- 
viously produced.  To  undertake  to  produce 
forms  of  life  with  these  tablets  would  prove 
very  unsatisfactory. 

FORMS  OF  KNOWLEDGE. 

These  are  of  particular  interest  because  they 
present  entirely  new  formations. 

It  has  been  mentioned  before,  that  the  previ- 
ously introduced  regular  mathematical  figures 
do  not  appear  here  as  a  whole.  However,  a 
triangle  can  be  represented  by  four  or  nine 
tablets,  a  rhomboid  by  four,  six  or  eight  tab- 
lets, a  trapezium  by  three,  and  manifold  in- 
stinctive remarks  can  be  made  and  experi- 
ences gathered  in  the  construction  of  these 
figures.  But  above  all,  it  is  the  rhombus  and 
hexagon,  with  which  the   pupil  is  to  be  made 


150. 


Fig.  151. 


acquainted  here.  The  child  unites  two  tri- 
angles by  joining  side  to  side,  and  thus  pro- 
duces a  rhombus. 

The  child  compares  the  sides — are  they 
alike  ?  What  is  their  direction  ?  Are  they  paral- 
lel? Two  and  two  have  the  same  direction, 
and  are  therefore  parallel. 

The  child  now  examines  the  angles  and  finds 
that  two  and  two  are  of  equal  size.  They  are 
not  right  angles.  Triangles,  smaller  than  right 
angles,  he  knows,  are  called  acute  angles,  and 
he  hears  now  that  the  larger  ones  are  called 
obtuse  angles.  The  teacher  may  remark  that 
the  latter  are  twice  the  size  of  the  former  ones. 
By  these  remarks  the  pupil  will  gradually  re- 
ceive a  correct  idea  of  the  rhombus  and  of  the 
qualities  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from 
the  quadrangle,  right  angle,  trapezeium  and 
rhomboid. 

In  the  same  manner,  the  hexagon  gives  oc- 
casion for  interesting  and  instructive  questions 
and  answers.  How  many  sides  has  it?  How 
many  are  parallel?  How  many  angles  does  it 
contain?  What  kind  of  angles  are  they?  How 
huge  are  they  as  compared  with  the  angles  of 
the  equal  sided  triangle?     Twice  as  large. 

The  power  of  observation  and  the  reason- 
ing faculties  are  constantly  developed  by  such 
conversation,  and  the  results  of  such  exercises 
are  of  more  importance  than  all  the  knowledge 
that  may  be  acquired  in  the  meantime. 

The  greater  part  of  this  occupation,  how- 
ever, is  not  within  the  Kindergarten  proper, 
but  belongs  to  the  realm  of  the  Primary  school 
department.  If  they  are  introduced  in  the 
former  they  are  intended  only  to  swell  the 
sum  of  general  experience  in  regard  to  the 
qualities  of  things,  whereas  in  the  latter,  they 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


159 


serve  as  a  foundation  of  real  knowledge    in 
the  department  of  mathematics. 

THE  FORMS  OF  BEAUTY. 

The  child  first  receives  three  tablets  and  will 
find  the  various  positions  of  the  same  toward 
one  another  according  to  the  law  of  opposites 
and  their  combination. 


Fig.152.  Fig.153.Fig.154.  Fig.155.  Fig.156. 


Fig  157.  Fig.  158.  Fig.  159.  Fig.  160. 

SIX  TABLETS. 

The  child  will  unite  his  tablets  around  one 
common  center  (Fig.  161),  form  the  opposite 
(Fig.  162),  and  then  arrive  at  the  forms  of 
mediation  Figs.  163,  164,  165  and  166,  or  he 
unites  three  elementary  forms  each  composed 
of  two  tablets  as  done  in  Fig.  167  and  forms 
the  opposite  Fig.  168  and  the  mediations  Figs. 
169  ami  Fig.  170  or  he  starts  from  Fig.  161, 
turning  first  one,  then  two,  then  three  tablets, 
outwardly.  By  turning  one  tablet  Figs.  172 
and  173,  by  turning  two  tablets  Figs.  174,  175, 
176,  177,  178,  179,  and  ISO  are  produced  from 
Fig.  171.  This  may  be  continued  with  three, 
four  and  five  tablets.  All  forms  thus  received 
give  us  elementary  forms  which  may  be  em- 
ployed as  soon  as  a  larger  number  of  tablets 
are  to  be  used. 


Fig.  161.         Fig.  162. 


Fig.  163. 


Fig.  164. 


Fig.  165. 


Fis.  166. 


Fig.  171. 


Fig.  172. 


Fig.  173. 


Fig.  177.    Fig.  178.     Fig.  179.      Fig.  180. 

NIXE    TABLETS. 

As  with  the  right-angled  triangle,  small 
groups  of  tablets  were  combined  to  form 
larger  figures,  so  we  also  do  here.  The  ele- 
mentary forms,  Figs.  152-160  give  us  in  three- 
fold combination  the  series  as  shown  in  Figs. 
181-191  which  in  course  of  the  occupation 
may  be  multiplied  at  will. 


Fig.  181.      Fig.  182.      Fig.  183.  Fig.  184. 


Fig.  185.      Fig.  186.    Fig.  187.  Fig.  188. 


Fig.  189. 


Fig.  190. 


TWELVE    TABLETS. 

Half  of  the  tablets  are  of  light  wood  and 
half  dark.  By  this  difference  in  color,  opposites 
are  rendered  more  conspicuous,  and  these 
twelve  tablets  thus  afford  a  splendid  opportu- 
nity for  illustrating  more  forcibly  the  law  of 
opposites  and  their  combination.  Figs.  192- 
227,  show  how,  by  combination  of  opposites 
in  the  forms  a  and  b<  every  time  the   star  c  is 


160 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


produced.  Entirely  new  series  of  forms  may 
be  produced  by  employing  a  larger  number  of 
tablets,  eighteen,  twenty-four  or  thirty-six. 
We  are,  however,  obliged  to  leave  these  repre- 
sentations to  the  combined  inventive  powers  of 
teacher  and  pupil. 


Fig.  213. 


Fig.  214. 


Fig.  215. 


Fig.  192.       Fig.  193.  Fig.  194. 


Fig.  216.  Fig.  217. 


Fig.  218. 


Fig.  195.         Fig.  196.  Fig.  197. 


Fig.  198.         Fig.  199.         Fig.  200. 


Fig.  201.         Fig.  202.  Fig.  203. 


Fig.  204.       Fig.  205.         Fig.  206. 


Fig.  207.         Fig.  208.  Fig.  209. 


Fig.  219. 


Fig.  22U. 


Fig.  222. 


Fig.  22:;. 


Fig.  225.  Fig    226. 


Fig.  221. 


Fig. 2 24. 


Fig.  227. 


THE  OBTUSE-ANGLED  TRIANGLE 
WITH  TWO  SIDES  ALIKE. 

(See  Figs.  22S — 250). 

The  child  receives  a  box  with  sixty-four 
obtuse-angled  tablets.  He  examines  one  of 
them  and  compares  it  with  the  right-angled 
triangle,  with  two  sides  alike.  It  has  two  sides 
alike,  has  also  two  acute  angles,  but  the  third 
angle  is  larger  than  the  right  angle  ;  it  is  an 
obtuse-angle,  and  the  tablet  is,  therefore,  an 
obtuse-angled  triangle  with  two  sides  alike. 

The  pupil  then  unites  two  and  two  tablets  by 
laying  them  so  that  edges  join  edges,  corners 
touch  corners  and  edges  join  corners  as  shown 
in  Figs.  228-236. 


Fig.  210.      Fig.  211. 


Fig.  212. 


Fig.  228. 


Fig.  229. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


161 


Fig.  230. 


Fig.  231. 


Fig.  232. 


Fig.  233. 


Fig.  234. 


Fig.  235. 


Fig.  236. 

The  next  preliminary  exercise,  is  the  com- 
bination by  fours,  of  the  elementary  forms  thus 
produced.  Peculiarly  beautiful,  mosaic-like 
forms  of  beauty  result  from  this  process, 
such  as  Figs.  237-243,  which  are  produced  by 
the  combination  of  two  opposites  or  by  medi- 
ative  forms.  Figs.  244-250  are  samples  of 
forms  of  life. 


Fig.  237. 


Fig.  238. 


Fig.  240. 


Mk&JNM 


Fig.  241. 


h    A     K    A      K    A    K 

m  m  \X\  \) 


Fig.  242. 


Fig.  243. 


The  forms  of  knowledge  which  may  be  pro- 
duced, afford  opportunity  to  repeat  what  has 
been  taught  and  learned  previously  about  pro- 
portion of  form  and  size.  In  the  Primary 
School  the  geometrical  proportions  are  further 
introduced,  by  which  means  the  knowledge  of 
the  pupils,  in  regard  to  angles,  as  to  the  po- 
sition they  occupy  in  the  triangle,  can  he  suc- 
cessfully developed  by  practical  observation, 
without  the  necessity  of  ever  dealing  in  mere 
abstractions. 


Fig.  244.  Fig.  245. 


Fig.  246. 


Fig.  239. 


Fig.  247. 


Fig.  248. 


162 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  249. 


A  comparison  with  the  right-angled  triangle 
with  two  equal  sides  will  facilitate  the  matter 
greatly. 

On  the  whole,  however,  the  process  of  de- 
velopment may  be  pursued,  as  repeatedly  in- 
dicated ou  previous  occasions. 


mJi/ 


- 


I 


m 


-7 


Fig.  250. 

THE  RIGHT-ANGLED  TRIANGLE  WITH 
NO  EQUAL  SIDES. 

(See  Figs.  251—286). 

The  little  box  containing  tifty-six  tablets 
of  the  above  description,  each  of  which  are 
in  form  like  one-half  of  the  obtuse-angled  tri- 
angle, enables  the  child  to  represent  a  goodly 
number  of  forms  of  life,  as  shown  in  Figs. 
251-264. 


Fig.  251. 

In  producing  them  sufficient  opportunities 
will  present  themselves  to  let  the  child  find  out 
the  qualities  of  the  new  occupation  material. 


Fio-.  253. 


Fig.  254. 


Fio\  255. 


Fio-.  252. 


Fio-.  256. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


163 


^jgi 


,,-t 


Fig.   258. 


^ 


Fig.  257. 


Fig.  262. 


Fio-.  259. 


Fig.  260. 


D* 


Fio-.  261. 


"\ 


Fio-.  263. 


Fig.  264. 

The  variety  of  the  forms  of  beaut}'  to  be  laid 
with  these  tablets,  is  especially  founded  on  their 
combination  in  twos.  Figs.  265-270  show  the 
forms  produced  by  joining  equal  sides. 


164 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  2G5. 


Fig.  266. 


Fig.  267, 


Fig.  268.         Fig.  269.        Fig.  270. 

In  similar  manner,  the  child  has  to  find  out 
the  forms  which  will  be  the  result  of  joining 
unlike  edges,  like  corners,  unlike  corners,  and 
finally  corners  and  edges. 

By  a  fourfold  combination  of  such  elementary 
forms  the  child  receives  the  material  (Figs. 
271-282),  to  produce  a  large  number  of  forms 
of  beauty  similar  to  those  given  under  Figs. 
283-286. 


For  the  purpose,  also,  of  presenting  to  the 
child's  observation,  in  a  new  shape,  propor- 
tions of  form  and  size,  in  the  production  of 
forms  of  knowledge,  these  tablets  are  very 
serviceable. 

Like  the  previous  tablets,  these  also,  and  a 
following  set  of  similar  tablets,  are  used  in 
the  Primary  Department  for  enlivening  the 
instruction  in  Geometry.  It  is  believed  that 
nothing  has  ever  been  invented  to  so  facilitate, 
and  render  interesting  to  teacher  and  pupil, 
the  instruction  in  this  so  important  branch  of 
education  as  the  tablets  forming  the  Seventh 
Gift  of  FroebePs  Occupation  Material,  the  use 
of  which  is  commenced  with  the  children  when 
they  have  entered  the  second  year  of  their  Kin- 
dergarten discipline. 


Fig.  271. 


Fig.  272. 


Fig.  273. 


Fig.  274.       Fig.  275. 


Fig.  276. 


Fig.  277, 


Fig.  27* 


Fig.  271). 


Fig.  280. 


Fig.  281, 


Fig.  282. 


Fig.  283. 


Fig.  284. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


165 


Fig.   285. 


Fig.   286. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


As  the  tablets  of  the  seventh  gift  represent 
surfaces  instead  of  solids  they  at  once  become 
more  ideal  and  serve  as  an  introduction  to  the 
elements  of  drawing,  or  to  the  representation  of 
solids  by  plane  surfaces.  These  tablets,  in  fact, 
contain  in  concrete  form  the  principles  of  plain 
geometry,  and  illustrate  many  of  the  problems 
in  elementary  industrial  drawing.  The  natural 
foundation  for  a  mathematical  and  scientific 
education  which  the  kindergarten  lays  is  an 
important  element  to  aid  in  the  production  of 
more  expert  and  accurate  workmen  in  any 
manual  occupation,  and  will  tend  to  cultivate  a 
more  accurate  and  practical  conception  of  every- 
day experiences.  The  manual  training  exhibit 
sent  from  Russia  to  Philadelphia  in  1876  be- 
gan the  evolution  of  a  practical  system  of 
manual  training  in  this  countiy,  and  the  cor- 
responding exhibition  of  the  kindergarten  work 
and  material,  with  the  first  practical  kindergar- 
ten guide  in  the  English  language,  was  equally 
a  forerunner  of  the  kindergarten  in  America, 
which  to-day  stands  well  in  advance  of  the  work 
in  all  other  parts  of  the  world,  while  its  possi- 
bilities can  as  yet  be  only  imagined.  Twenty 
years  ago  America  was  at  a  great  industrial  dis- 
advantage in  comparison  with  older  nations, 
because  her  artizans  lacked  the  scientific  and 
art  education  which  was  afforded  the  work- 
men of  other  countries.     This  defect  is  rapidly 


being  overcome  in  the*"  establishment  of  indus- 
trial schools,  through  the  liberal  donations  of 
some  of  our  capitalists  and  the  general  progress 
of  our  public  school  officials  along  the  same 
lines.  In  laying  the  foundation  of  such  educa- 
tion in  the  kindergarten  the  seventh  gift  has 
immense  capabilities,  but  much  of  its  force  and 
value  has  been  lost  from  lack  of  logical  se- 
quence in  the  derivation  of  the  forms  of  the 
tablet,  and  the  order  of  their  use.  In  the  origi- 
nal seventh  gift  tablets  as  imported  from  Ger- 
man}' there  were  five  forms,  namely,  the  square, 
half  square,  equilateral  triangle,  obtuse-angled 
triangle  and  scalene-triangle  made  by  dividing 
diagonally  an  oblong  of  two  squares.  In  this 
gift  the  absence  of  the  circle  and  half  circle 
seems  to  have  been  unfortunate,  because  the 
ball  is  the  first  solid,  and  correspondingly  the 
circle  should  be  the  first  surface  form,  and  the 
general  introduction  of  the  circle  and  half  circle 
by  the  leading  kindergarteners  of  our  day 
seems  to  particularly  indorse  this  criticism. 

Following  the  circle  based  on  the  sphere, 
should  come  the  square  which  is  one  of  the  six 
equal  faces  of  the  cube,  and  the  half  square 
formed  by  a  diagonal  division  of  the  square 
should  follow.  Next,  we  may  have  the  equi- 
lateral triangle  which  is  the  type  of  three  sided 
plane  figures,  as  the  square  is  the  type  of  four- 
sided  figures.      If    the  equilateral  triangle  is 


166 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


divided  by  a  line  from  one  corner  to  the  cen- 
ter of  the  opposite  side,  this  liue  will  be  per- 
pendicular to  that  side  and  one  of  these  halves 
of.  the  equilateral  will  be  a  scalene-triangle 
with  two  acute  angles  and  one  right  angle.  If 
these  two  triangles  formed  by  dividing  the 
equilateral  triangle  are  placed  base  to  base,  we 
have  an  obtuse-angled  triangle.  These  five 
forms  are  the  same  as  in  the  original  German 
gift,  except  the  scalene  triangle,  and  it  is  in  the 
form  and  order  of  introduction  of  this  tablet, 
that  the  objection  to  the  old  seventh  gift  is 
found.  If  the  sealene-triangle  is  one-half  of 
the  equilateral  it  becomes  a  typical  and  valua- 
ble form,  instead  of  a  meaningless  and  useless 
one  when  it  is  a  half  of  an  oblong  of  two 
squares.  In  this  new  form  the  angles  are 
ninety  degrees,  sixty  degrees  and  thirty  de- 
grees, all  of  which  are  typical  or  in  a  sense 
standard  angles,  but  if  instead  of  this  triangle 
we  have  the  half  of  the  oblong  of  two  squares, 
the  two  acute  angles  become  fractional  and  have 


no  value  as  standards  and  no  logical  relation 
to  the  other  tablets.  Two  of  them  will  not 
make  an  equilateral  triangle,  neither  will  they 
make  the  obtuse-angled  triangle  with  which 
they  must  be  associated,  and  no  number  of 
them  will  exactly  fill  a  circle.  In  fact,  the  tri- 
angle is  a  constant  source  of  error  and  false 
education  to  the  eye,  aud  in  its  use  much  of  the 
practical  value  of  this  gift  is  sacrificed. 

In  the  accompanying  diagrams,  A,  B,  C,  D, 
E,  the  tablets  of  the  seventh  gift  are  shown  in 
their  proper  order.  The  square  A  educates 
the  eye  to  correctly  estimate  a  right  angle,  one 
of  the  essential  qualifications  of  a  skilled 
artizan.  The  bisection  of  the  square  gives  the 
forty-five  degrees  triangle  B,  thus  training  the 
eye  to  measure  that  universal  angle,  the  miter, 
one-half  of  a  right  angle.  These  two  angles  are 
so  common  that  the  draftsman  or  the  designer 
constantly  uses  a  large  "tablet  B"  in  connec- 


tion with  the  T  square  in  his  work.  The  angle 
of  forty-five  degrees  is  one  eighth  of  the  circle 
and  this  triangle  is  used  in  a  very  simple  way 
for  drawing  the  octagon,  thus  : — 

Draw  a  circle  and  with  the  T  square  draw  a 
tangent  to  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  circle. 
With  the  triangle  sliding  on  the  blade  of  the  T 


n 


Fig.  287. 

square  draw  the  two  tangents  at  opposite  sides, 
Fig.  287.  Then  place  the  hypothenuse  of  the 
triangle  on  the  T  square  and  draw  four  diag- 
onals tangent  to  the  circle  to  complete  the  oc- 
tagon, as  in  Fig.  288.  This  is  but  one  of  the 
many  ways  in  which  the  forty-five  degrees  tri- 
angle is  used  by  the  draftsman.  The  equila- 
teral triangle  C  has  three  angles  of  sixty  de- 


grees each,  six  of  which  form  a  complete  circle. 
The  divided  equilateral  or  right-angled  scalene 
triangle  D  has  one  angle  of  ninety  degrees, 
one  of  sixty  degrees  and  one  of  thirty  degrees, 
and  this  tablet  is  another  tool  indispensable  to 
the  draftsman,  and  a  constant  companion  of 
the  forty-five  degrees  triangle  and  the  T  square. 
It  is  of  the  same  service  in  drawing  the  hexa- 
gon that  the  forty-five  degrees  triangle  is  in 


k 


J  Fig.   289. 

forming  the  octagon,  as  may  be  seen  in  Fig. 
289,  and  Fig.  290,  which  following  Figs.  287 
and  288,  will  usually  give  the  idea  without 
further  explanation.  In  case  the  matter  is  not 
perfectly  clear  these  operations  can  be  per- 
formed with  the  T  square  and  triangles  of  the 
drawing  kit  of  the  elementary  school.  These 
two  triangles  represent  all  the  angles  which  may 
be  termed  standards,  namely,  ninety  degrees,. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


167 


forty-five  degrees,  sixty  degrees  and  thirty  de- 
grees,and  a  child  in  the  kindergarten  should  be- 
come as  familiar  with  them  as  with  the  size  of 
the  squares  on  the  table.  The  obtuse-angled 
triangle  E,  as  made  in  the  gifts,  is  in  form  like 
two  of  D,  joined  at  the  short  sides,  but  for  con- 
venience the  size  is  reduced  one-half. 


J  Fig.   290. 

The  only  argument  for  the  use  of  the  scalene- 
triangle  derived  from  the  oblong  of  two  squares, 
seems  to  be  based  ou  the  fact  that  such  a  tri- 
angle is  conveniently  made  on  the  netted  draw- 
ing, but  this  certainly  is  not  of  sufficient  im- 
portance to  warrant  the  introduction  of  a  math- 
ematical monstrosity  such  as  this  triangle  must 
be  considered. 

Among  the  seventh  gift  tablets  for  sale  and 
in  use  in  the  kindergartens  both  forms  of  the 
scalene-triangles  may  be  found.  One  is  the 
half  of  an  oblong  of  two  squares  and  the  other 
the  half  of  a  equilateral  triangle.  Some  kin- 
dergartners  are  using  either  the  one  or  the  other 
with  well  settled  convictions  as  to  its  superior 
value,  while  others  have  given  little  or  no 
thought  to  the  subject.  The  difference  is  so 
radical  between  the  two  geometrical  forms  that 
it  should  become  a  question  of  considerable  im- 
portance in  the  mind  of  an  intelligent  kinder- 
gartner,  which  form  she  selects  in  her  gifts. 
Having  decided,  she  ought  to  be  sure  that  she 
gets  what  she  wants  when  ordering  material. 
The  argument  in  favor  of  the  half  equilat- 
eral has  been'briefly  expressed  above,  because 
the  experience  of  the  editor  in  practical  geome- 
try and  industrial  drawing  has  convinced  him 
of  the  truth  of  this  position,  but  every  kinder- 
partner  is  entitled  to  the  opposite  opinion  af- 
ter having  given  careful  thought  to  the  subject. 

In  presenting  this  gift  as  the  circle  is  the 
first  plane  to  be  given,  a  clay  sphere  may  be 
modeled  and  by  cutting  through  the  center, the 
face  of  the  hemisphere  will  show  the  circle  thus 
proving  to  the  children  that  it  is  derived  from 
the  ball. 

Call  attention  to  other  circular  objects  and 
give  simple  lessons  in  direction  and  position ; 
follow  this  by  laying  forms  of  symmetry  with 
the   circle,   (Figs.    291-298),  and  half  circle, 


(Figs.  299-304),  also  border  patterns,  (Fig. 
305).  Sequences  may  be  derived  by  working 
by  opposites,  as  shown  in  Figs.   306-310. 


Fig.    2H2. 


Fig.   293. 


Fig.   294. 


Fig.  295. 


Fig.   296. 


Fig.  297.  Fig.  298. 

In  considering  the  square  let  a  piece  of  ap- 
ple or  bread  be  cut  just  the  size  and  shape  of 
the  third  gift,  and  then  a  slice  cut  from  it  to 
show  how  the  square  tablet  is  a  representative 
of  the  surface  of  the  cube.  Most  children 
would  understand  it,  perhaps,  without  this, 
but  something  real  is   better  and  the  fact  that 


168 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


taking  the  slice  from  the  cube  has  left  only  a  in  the  tablets  of  this  gift,  it  often  gives  him 
part  of  a  cube  becomes  more  of  a  reality  to  great  pleasure  to  reproduce  that  design  in  per- 
manent form  by    pasting  colored  papers    cut 


Fig.   299. 


Fig.  303. 


Fig.  304. 


Fig.   305. 


Fig.   306. 


Fig.   307 


Fig.  309. 


Fig.   310. 


308. 
have  watched  the  pro- 


Fig. 
the  children  after  they 
cess  than  if  they  had  only  tried  to  think  it  out 

When  a  child  has  laid  a  satisfactory  design    to  the  earlier  "occupations  of  the  kindergarten. 


in  shapes  like  the  tablets  on  to  a  piece  of  card 
or  heavy  paper,  which  may  be  carried  home  as 
a  souvenir.  In  this  occupation  which  has  been 
called  "Parquetry,"  the  element  of  color  may 
be  introduced  while  both  the  form  instruction 
and  manual  training  involved  are  invaluable. 
In  some  styles  of  the  seventh  gift  the  tablets 
are  painted  in  a  variety  of  colors,  and  while 
on  first  thought  this  feature  may  be  very  at- 
tractive, experience  has  seemed  to  demonstrate 
to  the  satisfaction  of  kindergartners  in  this 
country,  that  the  tablets  in  light  and  dark 
woods,  expressing  tones  rather  than  color  are 
more  valuable,  educationally,  than  the  colored 
tablets.  Before  the  introduction  of  Parquetry 
papers  the  colored  tablets  were  quite  popular, 
but  with  the  greatly  improved  expression  of 
color  sequences  found  in  the  modern  educa- 
tional colored  paper,  this  feature  seems  open  to 
many  objections.  No  painted  surfaces  sub- 
ject to  constant  use  by  the  children  and  ex- 
posure to  the  light,  can  permanently  retain 
their  colors  so  as  to  have  much  educational 
value  in  color  perception,  and  therefore  the 
occupations  are  far  better  adapted  to  the 
teaching  of  color  than  the  gifts.  Also  the 
consideration  of  the  effects  of  light  and  shade 
in  the  designs  as  made  with  the  tablets  is  as 
much  as  the  child's  mind  is  able  to  grasp  at 
first,  while  increased  interest  is  secured  later 
by  the  addition  of  colors  in  the  reproduction 
of  the  designs,  by  pasting  papers  selected  from 
the  great  variety  of  colors  in  the  modern  edu- 
cational colored  papers.  Parquetry  not  only 
delights  the  children  but  teaches  accuracy  of 
eye  and  hand  in  placing  the  small  bits  of  paper, 
neatness  in  the  gumming,  and  cultivates  taste 
in  the  selection  and  combination  of  colors.  It  is 
distinctly  an  American  occupation  which  has 
been  generally  accepted  as  a  valuable  addition 


THE  EIGHTH  GIFT. 

STICKS  FOR  LAYING  OF  FIGURES. 


As  the  tablets  of  the  Seventh  Gift  are  noth- 
ing but  an  embodiment  of  the  planes  surround- 
ing or  limiting  the  cube,  and  as  these  planes, 
limits  of  the  cube,  are  nothing  but  the  repre- 
sentations of  the  extension  in  length,  breadth 
and  height,  already  contained  in  the  sphere  and 
hall,  so  also  the  sticks  are  derived  from  the 
cube,  forming  as  they  do,  and  here  bodily  rep- 
resenting its  edges.  But  they  are  also  contained 
in  the  tablets,  because  the  plane  is  thought  of, 
as  consisting  of  a  continued  or  repeated  line, 
and  this  may  be  illustrated  by  placing  a  suf- 
ficient number  of  one  inch  long  sticks  side  by 
side,  and  close  together,  until  a  square  is 
formed. 

The  sticks  lead  us  another  step  farther, 
from  the  material,  bodily,  toward  the  realm 
of  abstractions. 

By  means  of  the  tablets,  we  were  enabled 
to  produce  flat  images  of  bodies ;  the  slats, 
which,  as  previously  mentioned,  form  a  tran- 
sition from  plane  to  line,  gave,  it  is  true,  the 
outlines  of  forms,  but  these  outlines  still  re- 
tained a  certain  degree  of  the  plane  about 
them  ;  in  the  sticks,  however,  we  obtain  the 
material  to  draw  the  outlines  of  objects,  hy 
bodily  lines,  as  perfectly  as  it  can  possibly  be 
done. 

The  laying  of  sticks  is  a  favorite  occupa- 
tion with  all  children.  Their  fantasy  sees  in 
them  the  most  different  objects, — stick,  yard 
measure,  candle  ;  in  short,  they  are  to  them 
representatives  of  everything  straight. 

Our  sticks  are  of  the  thickness  of  a  line 
(one  twelfth  of  an  inch),  and  are  cut  in  vari- 
ous lengths.  The  child,  holding  the  stick  in 
his  hand,  is  asked  :  What  do  you  hold  in  your 
hand?  How  do  you  hold  it ?  Vertically.     Can 


Fie.  1. 


Fie. 


Fie.  3. 


you  hold  it  in  any  other  way?  Yes  !  I  can  hold 
it  horizontally.  Still  in  another  way  ?  Slant- 
ing from  left  above,  to  right  below,  or  from 
right  above  to  left  below.      (Figs.  1-3). 


Lay  your  stick  upon  the  table.  How  does 
it  lie?     In  what  other  direction  can  you  place 

it? 

The  child  receives  a  second  stick.  How 
many  sticks  have  you  now?  Now  try  to  form 
something.  The  child  lays  a  standing  cross, 
(Fig.  4).  You  certainly  can  lay  many  other 
and  more  beautiful  things  ;  but  let  us  see  what 
else  we  may  produce  of  this  cross,  by  mov- 
ing the  horizontal  stick,  by  half  its  length, 
(Figs.  4  to  14). 


Fio-.  4.  Fig.  5.        Fis.  6.  Fig.  7, 


Fig.  8.         Fie.  9. 


Fig.  K).         Fig.  11, 


Fig.  12.  Fig.  13.  Fig.  14. 
Starting  from  a  lying  cross,  (Fig.  15)  or 
from  a  pair  of  open  tongs,  (where  two  acute 
and  two  obtuse  angles  are  formed  by  the  cross- 
ing sticks),  and  proceeding  similarly  as  with 
Figs.  4-14,  we  will  produce  all  positions  which 
two  sticks  can  occupy,  relative  to  one  another, 
except  the  parallel,  and  this  will  give  ample 
opportunity  to  refresh,  and  more  deeply  im- 
press upon  the  pupil's  mind,  all  that  has  been 
introduced  so  far,  concerning  vertical,  hori- 
zontal and  oblique  lines,  aud  of  right,  acute 
and  obtuse  angles,  (Figs.  15-23). 


Fig;.  15.       Fie.  16. 


Fie.  17 


Fie.  18. 


170 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  19.      Fig.20.  Fig. 21.  Fig. 22.  Fig.  23. 

With  two  sticks,  Ave  can  also  form  little 
figures,  which  show  some  slight  resemblance 
with  things  around  us.  By  them  we  enliven 
the  power  of  recollection  and  imagination  of 
the  child,  exercise  his  ability  of  comparison, 
increase  his  treasure  of  ideas,  and  develop  in 
all  these  his  power  of  perception  and  concep- 
tion— the  most  indispensable  requisites  for 
disciplining  the  mind. 

Following  are  given  representations  of  ob- 
jects made  : — 

With  two  sticks,  Fig.  24,  A  Playing  Table. 
Fig.  25,  Pick  Axe.  Fig.  26,  An  Angle  Meas- 
ure. (Carpenter's  square). 


Fig.  32.  .Fig.  33. 

With  live  sticks,  Fig.  34,  Signal  Flag  of  R. 
R.  Guard.  Fig.  35,  A  Cottage.  Fig.  36,  Saw- 
horse.     Fig.  37,  A  Chair. 


Fig. 35. 


Fig.  24.  Fig. 

With  three  sticks,  Fig. 

A  Small  Flag.     Fig.  29 


27 

A  St  a  i 


Fig.  26. 
A  Flail.   Fig.  2s, 


Fig.  27.  Fig.  28.       Fig.  29. 

With  four  sticks,  Fig.  30,  A  Wooden  Chair. 
Fig.  31,  A  Wash  bench.  Fig.  32,  A  Crib. 
Fig.  33,  Flower-pot. 


Fig.  30. 


Fig.  36.  Fig. 37. 

With  six  sticks,  Fig.  38,  A  Flag.  Fig.  39, 
A  Boat.  Fig.  40,  A  Reel.  Fig.  41,  A  Small 
Tree. 


*^^^ 


Fig.  38. 


Fig.  39. 


Fig.  31. 


Fig. 40.  Fig.  41. 

With   seven    sticks,   Fig.   42,    A    Dwelling 
House.     Fig.  43,  A  Bridge  with  Three  Spans. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


171 


Fig.  44,  Tombstone  and  Cross.  Fig.  45,  Rail        With  nine  sticks,  Fig.   51,  Dwelling-house. 
Fence.  Fig.  52,  Sailboat.  Fig.  53,  Balance.     Fig.  54, 

Coffee-mill.     Fig.  55,  Students  Lamp. 


J 


Fig.  42. 


Fig.  43. 


Fig.  51. 


Fis.  52. 


Fig.  44. 


Fig.  45. 


With  eight  sticks,  Fig.  46,  Church,  with 
steeple.  Fig.  47,  Gas  Lantern.  Fig.  48,  Corn- 
crib.  Fig.  49,  A  Flower-pot.  Fig.  50,  A  Piano 
forte. 


\ 

■ 

J1 

1 

Fig.  54. 


Fig.  49. 


Fig.  50. 


Fig.  55. 


With  ten  sticks,  Fig.  56,  Graveyard  Wall. 
Fig.  57,  A  Hall.  Fig.  58,  A  Flower-pot.  Fig. 
59,  A  Bedstead.     Fig.  60,  A  Flag. 


172 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  56. 


Fig.  57. 


Fio-.  58. 


Fio-.  59. 


Fio-.  60. 


With    eleven    sticks,    Fig.    61,    A  Kitchen 
Lamp.     Fig.  62,  Cup  and  Saucer. 


Fio-.  61. 


Fio-.  62. 


With  twelve  sticks,  Fig.  63,  A  Church.  Fig. 
64,  Chair  and  Table.  Fig.  65,  A  Well  with 
Sweep. 


Fig.  63. 


These  exercises  are  to  he  continued  with  a 
larger  number  of  sticks.  The  hints  given  above, 
will  enable  the  teacher  to  conduct  the  laying  of 
sticks  in  a  manner  interesting,  as  well  as  use- 
ful, for  her  pupils. 

It  is  advisable  to  guide  the  activity  of  the 
child  occasionally  in  another  direction.  The 
pupils  may  all  becalled  upon  to  lay  tables,  which 
can  be  produced  from  two  to  ten  sticks,  or 
houses  which  can  be  laid  with  eighteen  sticks. 

Sticks  are  also  employed  for  representing 
forms  of  beauty.  The  previous,  or  simulta- 
neous occupation  with  the  building  blocks,  and 
tablets,  will  assist  the  child  in  producing  the 
same  in  great  variety.  Figs.  66-72  belong  to 
this  class  of  representations. 

Combination  of  the  occupation  material  of 
several,  or  all  children  taking  part  in  the  ex- 
ercises, will  lead  to  the  production  of  larger 
forms  of  life,  or  beauty,  which  in  the  Primary 
Department,  can  even  be  extended  to  repre- 
senting whole  landscapes,  in  which  the  mate- 
rial is  augmented  by  the  introduction  of  saw- 
dust to  represent  foliage, grass,  land,  moss, etc. 

By  means  of  combination,  the  children  often 
produce  forms  which  afford  them  great  pleas- 
ure, and  repay  them  for  the  careful  persever- 
ance and  skill  employed.     They  often  express 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


173 


Fisr.  GQ. 


Fig.  67. 


Fig.  Q8. 


Fig.  69. 


Fio-.  70. 


Fio-.  71, 


Fio-.  72. 


174 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


the  wish  that  they  might  be  able  to  show  the 
production  to  father,  or  mother,  or  sister,  or 
friend.  But  this  they  cannot  do,  as  the  sticks 
will  separate  when  taken  up. 

We  should  assist  the  little  ones  in  carrying 
out  their  desire  of  giving  pleasure  to  others, 
by  showing  to,  or  presenting  them  with  the 
result  of  their  own  industry,  in  portable  form. 
By  wetting  the  ends  of  the  sticks  with  muci- 
lage, or  binding  them  together  with  needle  and 
thread,  or  placing  them  on  substantial  paper, 
we  can  grant  their  desire,  and  make  them  hap- 
py, and  be  sure  of  their  thanks  for  our  efforts. 

But  we  have  another  means  of  rendering 
these  representations  permanent,  ami  it  is  by 
drawing,  which,  on  its  own  account,  is  to  be 
practiced  in  the  most  elementary  manner.  We 
begin  the  (hawing,  as  will  hereafter  be  shown, 
as  a  special  branch  of  occupation,  as  soon  as 
the  child  has  reached  its  third  or  fourth  year. 

The  method  of  laying  sticks  is  in  general  the 
same  as  applied  for  drawing,  the  latter,  how- 
ever, progresses  less  rapidly.  It  is  advisable 
to  combine  sticks  in  regular  figures,  triangles 
and  squares,  and  to  find  out  in  a  small  num- 
ber of  such  figures  all  possible  combinations 
according  to  the  law  of  opposites. 

All  these  occupations  depend  on  the  larger  or 
smaller  number  of  sticks  employed  ;  they  there- 
fore afford  means  for  increasing  and  strength- 
ening the  knowledge  of  the  child.  The  pupil, 
however,  is  much  more  decidedly  introduced 
into  the  elements  of  ciphering,  when  the  sticks 
are  placed  into  his  hands  for  this  specific  pur- 
pose. We  do  not  hesitate  to  make  the  asser- 
tion that  there  is  no  material  better  fitted  to 
teach  the  rudiments  in  figures,  as  also  the  more 
advanced  steps  in  arithmetic,  than  Fm'bel's 
sticks.  A  few  packages  of  the  sticks  in  the 
hands  of  the  pupil  is  all  that  is  needed  in  the 
Kindergarten  proper,  and  the  following  De- 
partment of  the  Primary  School. 

The  children  receive  a  package  with  ten 
sticks  each.  Take  one  stick  and  lay  it  verti- 
cally on  the  table.  Lay  another  at  the  side 
of  it.  How  many  scicks  are  uow  before  you? 
Twice  one  makes  two. 

Lay  still  another  stick  upon  the  table.  How 
many  are  there  now?  One  and  one  and  one — 
two  and  one  are  three. 

Still  another,  etc.,  etc.,  until  all  ten  sticks 
are  placed  in  a  similar  manner  upon  the  table. 
Now  take  away  one  stick.   How  many  remain  ? 


Ten  less  nine  leaves  one.  Take  away  another 
stick  from  these  nine.  How  many  are  left? 
Nine  less  one  leaves  eight.   Take  another;  this 

leaves  seven ?  etc.,  etc., until  all  the  sticks 

are  taken  one  by  one  from  the  table,  and  are 
in  the  child's  hands  again.  Take  two  sticks 
and  lay  them  upon  the  table,  and  place  two 
others  at  some  distance  from  them.  ( ||  || )  How 
many  are  now  on  the  table  ?  Two  and  two  are 
four.  Lay  two  more  sticks  beside  these  four 
sticks.  How  man}'  are  there  now?  Four  and 
two  are  six.  Two  more.  How  many  are  there 
now?  Six  and  two  are  eight .  And  still  another 
two.   How  many  now?    Eight  and  two  are  ten. 

The  child  has  learned  to  add  sticks  by  twos. 
If  we  do  the  opposite,  he  will  also  learn  to 
subtract  by  twos.  In  similar  manner  we  pro- 
ceed with  three,  four  andjfrye.  After  that  we 
alternate,  with  addition  and  subtraction.  For 
instance,  we  lay  three  times  two  sticks  upon 
the  table  and  take  away  twice  twro,  adding 
again  four  times  two.  Finally  we  give  up  the 
equality  of  the  number  and  alternate,  by  add- 
ing different  numbers.  We  lay  upon  the  table 
two  and  three  sticks  which  equal  five,  adding 
two,  which  equal  seven,  adding  three,  which 
equal  ten.  This  affords  opportunity  to  introduce 
six  and  nine,  as  a  whole,  more  frequently  than 
was  the  case  in  previous  exercises.  In  subtrac- 
tion we  observe  the  same  method,  and  intro- 
duce exercises  in  which  subtraction  and  addi- 
tion alternate  with  unequal  numbers.  Lay  six 
sticks  upon  the  table,  take  two  away,  add  four, 
take  away  one, add  three  and  ask  the  child  how 
many  sticks  are  on  the  table,  after  each  of  these 
operations. 

In  like  manner,  as  the  child  learned  the 
figures  from  one  to  ten,  and  added  and  sub- 
tracted with  them  as  far  as  the  number  of  ten 
sticks  admitted,  it  will  now  learn  to  use  the 
tens  up  to  one  hundred.  Packages  of  ten  sticks 
are  distributed.  It  treats  each  package  as  it 
did  before  the  single  stick.  One  is  laid  upon 
the  table,  and  the  child  says,  "Once  ten  ;"  add 
a  second,  "Twice  ten;"  a  third,  "Three  times 
ten,"  etc.  Subsequently  he  is  told,  that  it  is 
not  customary  to  say  twice,  or  two  times  ten, 
but  twenty  ;  not  three  times  ten,  but  thirty,  etc. 
This  experience  will  take  root  so  much  the 
sooner,  in  his  memory,  and  become  knowledge, 
as  all  this  is  the  result  of  his  own  activity. 

As  soon  as  the  child  has  acquired  sufficient 
ability  in  adding  and  subtracting  by  tens,   the 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


175 


combination  of  units  and  tens  is  introduced. 
The  pupil  receives  two  packages  of  ten  sticks 
— places  one  of  them  upon  the  table,  opens 
the  second  and  adds  its  sticks  one  by  one  to 
the  ten  contained  in  the  whole  package.  He 
learns  ten  and  one  equal  eleven,  ten  and  two 
equal  twelve,  ten  and  three  equal  thirteen,  until 
ten  and  ten  equal  twenty  sticks,  (lathering the 
ten  loose  sticks,  the  child  receives  another 
package  and  places  it  beside  the  first  whole 
package.  Ten  and  ten  equal  twenty  sticks. 
Then  he  adds  one  of  the  loose  sticks  and  says 
twenty  and  one  equal  twenty-one,  twenty  and 
two  equal  twenty- two,  etc.  Another  package 
of  ten  brings  the  number  to  thirty-one,  etc., 
etc.,  up  to  ninety-one  sticks.  In  this  manner 
he  learns  twenty-two,  thirty-two,  up  to  ninety- 
two,  twenty-three  to  ninety-three  and  one 
hundred,  and  to  add  and  subtract  within  this 
limit.  To  be  taught  addition  and  subtraction 
in  this  manner,  is  to  acquire  sound  knowledge, 
founded  on  self-activity  and  experience,  and 
is  far  superior  to  any  kind  of  mind-killing 
memorizing  usually  employed  in  this  connec- 
tion. 

If  addition  and  subtraction  are  each  other's 
opposites,  so  addition  and  multiplication  on 
the  one  hand,  and  subtraction  and  division  on 
the  other,  are  oppositionally  equal,  or,  rather, 
multiplication  and  division  are  shortened  addi- 
tion and  subtraction. 

In  addition,  when  using  equal  numbers  of 
sticks,  the  child  finds  that  by  adding  two  and 
two,  and  two  and  two  sticks  he  receives  eight 
sticks  and  is  told  that  this  may  also  be  ex- 
pressed by  saying  four  times  two  sticks  are 
eight  sticks.  It  will  be  easy  to  see  how  to  pro- 
ceed with  division,  after  the  hints  given  above. 

Let  none  of  our  readers  misunderstand  us 
as  intimating  that  all  this  shoidd  be  accom- 
plished in  the  Kindergarten  proper. 

Enough  has  been  accomplished  if  the  child  in 
the  Kindergarten  by  means  of  sticks  and  other 
material  of  occupation,  has  been  enabled  to 
have  a  clear  understanding  of  figures  in  general. 

This  will  be  the  basis  for  further  develop- 
ment in  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication 
and  division  in  the  Primary  Department. 

It  now  remains  to  add  the  necessary  advice 
in  regard  to  the  introduction  and  representa- 
tion with  the  sticks  of  the  numerals.    In  order 


to  make  the  children  understand  what  numerals 
are,  use  the  blackboard  and  show  them  that  if 
we  wish  to  mark  down  how  many  sticks,  I/locks, 
or  other  things  each  of  the  children  have,  we 
might  make  one  line  for  each  stick,  block,  etc. 
Write  then  one  small  vertical  line  on  the  black- 
board, saying  in  writing,  Charles  has  one  stick  ; 
making  two  lines  below  the  first,  continue  by 
saying  Emma  has  two  blocks;  again,  making 
three  lines,  Ernest  has  three  rubber  hulls,  and 
so  on  until  you  have  written  ten  lines,  always 
giving  the  name  of  the  child  and  stating  how 
many  objects  he  has.  Then  write  opposite  each 
row  of  lines  to  the  right,  the  Arabic  figure  ex- 
pressing the  number  of  lines,  and  remark  that 
instead  of  using  so  many  lines,  we  can  also  use 
these  figures,  which  we  call  numerals. 

After  the  children  have  learned  that  the 
figures  which  we  use  for  marking  down  the 
number  of  things  are  called  numerals,  exercises 
of  the  following  character  may  be  introduced. 

How  many  hands  have  each  of  you?  Two. 
The  numeral  2  is  written  on  the  board.  How 
many  fingers  on  each  hand  ?  Five.  This  is  writ- 
ten also  on  the  board — 5.  How  many  walls 
has  this  room  ?  Four.  Write  this  figure  also 
on  the  board.  How  many  days  in  the  week 
are  the  children  in  the  Kindergarten  ?  Six  days. 
The  6  is  also  written  on  the  board. 

Then  repeat,  and  let  the  children  repeat  af- 
ter von,  as  an  exercise  in  speaking,  and  at  the 
same  time,  for  the  purpose  of  recollecting  the 
numerals  : 

Each  child  has  2  hands,  on  each  hand  are 
5  fingers  ;  this  room  has  4  walls, — always  em- 
phasizing the  numerals,  and  pointing  to  them 
when  they  are  named. 

The  children  may  then  count  the  objects  in 
the  room  or  elsewhere,  and  then  lay  with  their 
sticks,  the  numerals  expressing  the  number 
they  have  found,  speaking  in  the  meantime,  a 
sentence  asserting  the  fact  which  they  have 
stated. 

As  the  occupation  with  laying  sticks,  is  one 
of  the  earliest  in  the  kindergarten,  and  is  em- 
ployed in  teaching  numerals,  and  reading  and 
writing,  and  drawing  also,  it  is  evident  how 
important  a  material  of  occupation  was  sup- 
plied by  Froebel,  in  introducing  the  sticks  as 
one  of  his  Kindergarten  Gifts. 


176 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


As  this  gift  is  used  to  represent  the  line,  it 
takes  the  child  one  step  farther,  into  the  ab- 
stract world,  teaching  both  direction  and  out- 
lines. 

It  consists  of  sticks  from  one  to  five  inches 
in  length,  which  come  in  bundles  or  in  a  com- 
partment box  containing  fifteen  hundred  sticks 
of  the  natural  wood  or  of  the  six  spectrum 
colors,  which  are  more  attractive  to  the  chil- 
dren, and  are  helpful  in  color  lessons  and  in 
representing  familiar  objects.  In  presenting 
this  gift  first  hand  one  stick  to  each  child,  call 
attention  to  it  by  asking  what  it  looks  like 
and  where  it  came  from.  Give  a  talk  on  trees, 
telling  how  they  spring  from  the  seed  and  grow, 
and  how  the  wood  is  used  for  various  purposes. 


formed, 
a  quad- 
showing; 


\ 


X 


4 


\   )  V 


H 


/ 


// 


introduced,  the  teacher  being  careful  to  advance 
no  faster  than  the  child  can  follow. 

With  four  sticks  a  square  may  be 
or  the  sticks  may  be  placed  around 
rangular  tablet,  and  then  removed, 
the  outline. 

The  sticks  are  the  foundation  for  outline 
drawing, and  after  the  children  have  made  sim- 
ple objects  with  the  sticks  let  them  draw  what 
they  have  made, on  paper  or  the  blackboard. 

Give  simple  lessons  in  dictation,  and  in  or- 
der to  cultivate  imagination  and  to  draw  out 
the  inventive  powers  of  the  children,  let  them 
arrange  short  sequences  in  forms  of  life,  add- 
ing interest  by  a  story. 

Give  sticks  of  different  lengths,  as  this  en- 
ables the  children  to  make  a  greater  va- 
riety of  figures.  When  using  the  two-inch 
stick  lead  them  to  see  that  it  corresponds 
to  the  edge  of  the  second  gift  cube. 

This  gift  is  useful  in  making  angles  and 
geometrical  figures.  In  the  geometrical 
figures  the  first  to  be  outlined  is  the  square, 
following  the  face  of  the  second  gift  cube 
and  the  square  tablet  of  the  seventh  gift. 

Direct  attention  to  the  right  angles  and 
let  the  children  point  them  out.  Follow 
this  with  obtuse  and  acute  angles.  When 
the  fifth  gift  and  the  triangle  of  the  sev- 
enth gift  have  been  used  then  lay  the  sticks 
to  form  triangles,  oblongs,  pentagons, etc. 


\ 


Fig.   73. 


Ask  for  different  articles  that  are  made  from 
wood  and  give  the  process  by  which  the  sticks 
are  prepared  for  use,  how  they  are  dyed,  etc.  ; 
then  let  the  children  place  the  sticks  in  different 
directions,  the  vertical,  horizontal,  and  slant- 
ing. Give  a  second  stick,  place  them  parallel, 
in  different  directions  ;  combine  them  and  place 
them  in  all  possible  positions  to  each  other.  A 
number  lesson  in  addition,  subtraction  and 
multiplication  maybe  taught,  and  a  third  stick 


Fig.   74. 

A  great  variety  of  life  forms  can  be  shown 
and  to  some  extent  symmetrical  forms.  It  is 
well  to  let  the  children  unite  their  sticks  or  com- 
bine them  with  rings,  especially  in  the  life  forms, 
(Figs.  73  and  74).  In  this  way  a  house  with 
intei'ior  furnishings  may  be  made,  or  a  house, 
yard  and  fence.  The  world  of  occupation  fur- 
nished by  this  gift  is  a  continual  wonder  to  the 
kindergartner. 


THE  NINTH  GIFT- 

WHOLE  AND  HALF  RINGS  FOR  LAYING  FIGURES. 


Immediately  connected  with  the  sticks,  or 
straight  lines,  Froebel  gives  the  representatives 
of  the  rounded,  curved  lines,  in  a  box  contain- 
ing twenty-four  whole  and  forty-eight  half  cir- 
cles of  two  different  sizes  made  of  wire.  The 
rings  supply  the  means  of  representing  a  curved 
line  perfectly,  besides  enabling  us  by  their  dif- 
ferent sizes  to  show  "the  one  within  another." 

This  gift  is  introduced  in  the  same  way  as 
all  other  previous  gifts  were  introduced,  and 
the  rules  by  which  this  occupation  is  carried  on 
must  be  clear  to  every  one  who  has  followed  us 
in  our  "Guide"  to  this  point. 

The  child  receives  one  whole  ring  and  two 
half  rings  of  the  larger  size.  Looking  at  the 
whole  ring  the  children  observe  that  there  is 
neither  beginning  nor  end  in  the  ring — that  it 
represents  the  circle,  in  which  there  is  neither 
beginning  nor  end.      (Fi«-.  1).  With  the  half 

OX 

Fig.   1.  Fig.   2. 

ring,  they  have  two  ends  ;  half  rings,  like  half 
circles  and  all  other  parts  of  the  circle  or  curved 
lines,  have  two  ends.  Two  of  the  half  rings 
form  one  whole  ring  or  circle,  and  the  children 
are  asked  to  show  this  by  experiment.  Various 
observations  can  be  made  by  the  children,  ac- 
companied by  remarks  on  the  part  of  the 
teacher.  Whenever  the  child  combined  two 
cubes,  two  tablets,  sticks  or  slats  with  one 
another,  in  all  cases  where  corners  and  angles 
and  ends  were  concerned  in  this  combination, 


Fig.   3.  _ 
corners  and  angles  were  again  produced. 


form  any  angles.  Neither  could  closed  space 
be  produced  by  two  bodies,  planes,  nor  lines. 
The  two  half  circles,  however,  close  tightly  up 
to  each  other  so  that  no  opening  remains. 

The  child  now  places  the  two  half  circles  in 
opposite  directions.  (Fig.  2).  Before,  the  ends 
touched  one  another,  now  the  middle  of  the 
half  circles ;  previously  a  closed  space  was 
formed,  now  both  half  circles  are  open,  and 
where  they  touch  one  another,  angles  appear. 

Mediation  is  formed  in  Fig.  3,  where  both 
half  circles  touch  each  other  at  one  end  and  re- 

XX 

Fig.  4. 
main  open  or  as  indicated  by  the  dotted  line, 
join  at  end  and  middle,  thereby    enclosing  a 


H 


Fig.  5.  Fig.  6. 

small  plane  and  forming  angles  in  the  meantime. 
Two  more  half  circles  are  presented.     The 


The 


Fig.   7.  Fig.   8. 

child  forms  Fig.  I,  and  develops  by  moving 
the  half  circles  in  the  direction  from  without 
to  within.  (Figs.  5-8). 

All  these  forms  are,  owing  to  the  nature  of 
the  circular  line,  forms  of  beaut)/  or  beautiful 
forms  of  life,  and,  therefore,  the  occupation 
with  these  rings  is  of  such  importance.     The 


two  half  rings  or  half  circles,  however,  do  not    child  produces  forms  of  beauty  with  other  ma- 


178 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


terial,  it  is  true,  but  the  curved  line  suggests  teuder  and  pliable  soul  of  the  child,  must  needs 
to  him  in  a  higher  degree  than  anything  else  be  greater  and  more  lasting.  Without  believ- 
ideas  of  the  beautiful,  and  the  simplest  com-    ing  in  the  doctrine  of  two  inimical  natures  in 

Fig.  11. 
man  said  to  be  in  constant  conflict  with  each 
other,  we  do  believe  that  the  talents  and  dis- 
position in  human  nature  are  subject  to  the 
possibility  of  being  developed  in  two  opposite 
directions.  It  is  this  possibility  which  con- 
ditions the  necessity  of  education,  the  necessity 
of  employing  every  means  to  give  the  dormant 
inclinations  and  tastes  in  the  child,  a  direction 
toward  the  true,  aud  good,  and  beautiful, — in 
Eig.   '•••  one  word,  toward  the  ideal.       Among  these 

bmations  of  a  small  number  of  half  and  whole    means    stands    pre-eminently    a  rational   and 

circles,  also  bear  in  themselves  the  stamp  of 

beauty.      (Figs.  9-12). 


Fig.  10. 
If  the  fact  cannot  be  refuted,  that  merely 
looking  at  the  beautiful  favorably  impresses 
the  mind  of  the  grown  person  in  regard  to 
direction  of  its  development,  enabling  him  to 
more  fully  appreciate  the  good  and  true,  and 
noble,   and   sublime,  this    influence   upon    the 


Fig.    12. 
timely    development  of  the  sense  of  beauty. 
upon  which  Froebel  lays  so  much  stress. 

Showing  the  young  child  objects  of  art  which 
are  far  beyond  the  sphere  of  his  appreciation, 
however,  willassistthis  development,  much  less 
than  to  carefully  guard  that  his  surroundings 
contain,  and  show  the  fundamental  requisites 
of  beauty,  viz.  :  Order,  cleanliness,  simplicity 
and  harmony  of  form,  and  giving  assistance 
to  the  child  in  the  active  representation  to  the 
beautiful  in  a  manner  adapted  to  the  state  of 
development  in  the  child  himself. 

Like  forms  laid  with  sticks,  those  represented 
with  rings  and  half  rings  also  are  imitated  by 
the  children  by  drawing  them  on  slate  or  paper. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


This  gift  now  consists  of  twelve  whole,  eight- 
een half  and  twelve  quarter  wire  rings,  for  lay- 
ing figures  which  involve  circles.  It  is  a  con. 
tinuation  of  the  eighth  gift  and  preparatory  to 
drawing  and  designing,  being  used  to  represent 
an  outline  of  a  surface. 

The  rings  are  made  of  steel,  and  come  in 
three  different  sizes  of  one  inch,  one  and  one- 
half  inch  and  two  inches  in  diameter.      In  in- 


troducing this  gift  the  largest  ring  should  be 
given  first,  and  attention  called  to  its  form  and 
properties.  A  talk  on  iron,  its  uses,  how  it  is 
dug  out  of  the  ground  by  miners,  a  description 
of  the  mines,  of  the  process  the  ore  passes 
through,  how  it  is  melted  and  molded  into 
useful  machines  and  articles,  how  it  is  changed 
into  steel,  is  both  interesting  and  instructive  to 
the  children.     Ask  for  different  things  that  are 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


179 


made  of  iron  and  steel,  and  draw  from  the  ehil-   tions,  the  number  and  size  of  rings  being  in- 

dren  the  reason  why  steel  is  valuable  for  knives,    creased  gradually. 

axes  and  other  cutting  utensils.       A  second        When  a  third  ring  is  given,  let  the  children 

suggest  ways  of  laying  them.  If  they  are  of 
the  same  size,  they  may  be  placed  side  by  side, 


Fig.   13. 


Fig.   14. 


in  a  group,  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  etc.     If 
the  different  sizes  are  used,  they  may  be  placed 


one  within  the  other,  so  that  they  are  parallel, 
or  they  may  touch  at  some  point.     Forms  of 


Fig.   18. 


symmetry  may  be  developed  by  several  of  these 
ring  may  be  added  and   an  exercise  given  in    grouped  together,  as  in  Fig.  9. 
placing  the  rings  in  different  ways  and  posi-        The  exercises  with  the  half-ri 


rings  are  more 


180 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


interesting  and  instructive,  as  the  forms  are 
more  varied  and  change  at  every  step.  Have 
the  children  place  the  half-rings  in  different 
positions.  Give  each  child  the  same  quantity 
of  material  and  let  them  lay  a  design.  Fig.  10 
shows  a  combination  of  the  half-rings.     Se- 


Fia;.   19. 


Fig.   20. 


quences  involving  both  half  and  whole  rings 
may  be  given,  as  shown  in  Figs.  13-17. 

When  the  quarter-ring  is  given,  let  the  chil- 
dren compare  it  with  the  half-ring  and  combine 
the  two  in  different  sizes.  Figs.  18  and  19  are 
the  smallest  half  and  quarter-rings  combined, 
and  Fig.  20,  shows  the  largest  size  of  each. 


Figs.  21  and   22  give   pretty  border   patterns 
which  may  be  embellished. 

As  the  curved  line  is  the  line  of  beauty,  this 
gift  is  better  adapted  for  beautiful  forms  than 
any  of  the  others.  Forms  of  life,  especially 
in  flower  designs,  are  developed  with  the  quar- 


Fig.  23. 


Fig.  24. 

ter-rings  as  shown  in  Fig.  23,  while  Figs.  21, 
and  25  show  a  combination  of  the  whole,  half 
and  quarter-rings. 

Fig.  26,  shows  a  combination  of  the  three 
smallest  sizes  of  each,  Fig.  27,  of  the  second 
size,  and  Fig.  28  of  the  largest.  Fig.  29  is  a 
combination  of  the  whole,  half  and  quarter- 
rings  in  the  three  different   sizes. 

The  rings  of  this  Gift  and  the  sticks  of  the 
eighth  may  be  combined  with  pleasing  and 
profitable  results  as  shown  in  Figs.  30-38  of 
which  Figs.  34-38  are  a  sequence. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


181 


Fig.   25. 


Fig.   26. 


Fig.  28. 


Fig.  29. 


Fig.   2' 


'Av 


Fig.  30. 


182 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Fig.  32. 


Fig.  33. 


<* 


Fig.  34. 


OaO 


If 


0® 


Fig.  35. 


Pig.  36. 


Fig.   37. 


0 

CHHD 


6 

Fig.  38. 


THE  TENTH  GIFT. 

THE  MATERIAL  EOR  DRAWING. 


One  of  the  earliest  occupations  of  the  child 
should  he  methodical  drawing.  Froebel's 
opinion  and  conviction  on  this  subject,  de- 
viates from  tiiose  of  other  educators,  as  much 
as  in  other  respects.  Froebel,  however  does 
not  advocate  drawing,  as  it  is  usually  prac- 
ticed, which  on  the  whole,  is  nothing  else  but 
a  more  or  less  thoughtless  mechanical  copy- 
ing. The  method  advanced  by  Froebel,  is  in- 
Vented  by  him,  and  perfected  in  accordance 
with  his  general  educational  principles. 

The  pedagogical  effect  of  the  customary 
method  of  instruction  in  drawing,  rests  in 
many  cases  simply  in  the  amount  of  trouble 
'caused  the  pupil  in  surmounting  technical 
difliculties.  Just  for  that  reason  it  should  be 
abandoned  entirely  for  the  3'oungest  pupils, 
for  the  difficulties  in  many  cases  are  too  great 
for  the  child  to  cope  with.  It  is  a  work  of 
Sisyphus,  labor  without  result,  naturally  tend- 
ing to  extirpate  the  pleasure  of  the  child  in  his 
occupation,  and  the  unavoidable  consequence 
is  that  the  majority  of  people  will  never  reach 
the  point  Avhere  they  can  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
their  endeavors. 

If  we  acknowledge  that  Froebel's  education- 
al principles  are  correct,  namely,  that  all 
manifestations  of  the  child's  life  are  manifes- 
tations of  an  innate  instinctive  desire  for  de- 
velopment, and  therefore  should  be  fostered 
and  developed  by  a  rational  education  in  ac- . 
cordance  with  the  laws  of  nature,  drawing 
should  be  commenced  with  the  third  year ; 
nay,  its  preparatory  principles  should  be  intro- 
duced at  a  still  earlier  period. 

With  all  the  gifts,  hitherto  introduced,  the 
children  were  able  to  study  and  represent  forms 
and  figures.  Thus  they  have  been  occupied 
as  it  were,  in  drawing  with  bodies.  This  de- 
veloped their  fantasy  and  taste,  giving  them 
in  the  meantime  correct  ideas  of  the  solid, 
plane,  and  the  embodied  line. 

A  desire  soon  awakes  in  the  child,  to  repre- 
sent by  drawing  these  lines  and  planes,  these 
forms  and  objects.  He  is  desirous  of  rep- 
resentation when  he  requests  the  mother  to  tell 
him  a  story,  explain  a  picture.  He  is  occu- 
pied in  representation  when  breathing  against 
the   window-pane,    and    scrawling    on  it  with 


his  finger,  or  when  trying  to  make  figures  in 
the  saud  with,  a  little  stick  Each  child  is  de- 
lighted to  show  what  he  can  make,  and  should 
be  assisted  in  every  way  to  regulate  this  desire. 

Drawing  not  only  develops  the  power  of 
representing  things  the  mind  has  perceived, 
but  affords  the  best  means  for  testing  how  far 
they  have  been  perceived  correctly. 

It  was  Froebel's  task  to  invent  a  method 
adapted  to  the  tender  age  of  the  child,  and  his 
slight  dexterity  of  hand,  and  in  the  meantime 
to  satisfy  the  claim  of  all  his  occupations,  ie., 
that  the  child  should  not  simply  imitate,  but 
pi'oceed  self-actingly,  to  perform  work  which 
enables  him  to  reflect,  reason,  and  finally  to 
invent  himself. 

Both  claims  have  been  most  ingeniously 
satisfied  by  Frcebel.  He  gives  the  three 
years'  old  child  a  slate,  one  side  of  which  is 
covered  by  a  net-work  of  engraved  lines  (one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  apart),  and  he  gives  him  in 
addition,  thereto,  the  law  of  opposites  and 
their  mediation  as  a  rule  for  his  activity. 

The  lines  of  the  net-work  guide  the  child  in 
moving  the  pencil,  they  assist  him  in  measuring 
and  comparing  situation  and  position,  size 
and    relative    center,    and    sides    of    objects. 

This  facilitates  the  work  greatly,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  this  important  assistance  the 
child's  desire  for  work  is  materially  increased  ; 
whereas  obstacles  in  the  earliest  attempts  at 
all  kinds  of  work  must  necessarily  discourage 
the  beginner. 

Drawing  on  the  slate,  with  slate  pencil  is 
followed  by  drawing  on  paper  with  lead  pen- 
cil. The  paper  of  the  drawing  books  is  ruled 
like  the  slates.  It  is  advisable  to  begin  and 
continue  the  exercises  in  drawing  on  paper, 
in  like  manner  as  those  on  the  slate  were  be- 
gun and  continued,  with  this  difference  only, 
that  owing  to  the  progress  made  and  skill  ob- 
tained by  the  child,  less  repetitions  may  be 
needed  to  bring  the  pupil  to  perfection  here, 
as  was  necessary  in  the  use  of  the  slate. 

It  has  been  repeatedly  suggested,  that 
whenever  a  new  material  for  occupation  is  in- 
troduced, the  teacher  should  comment  upon, 
or  enter  into  conversation  with  the  children, 
about  the  same  ;  the  difference  between  draw- 


184 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


ing  on  the  slate  and  on  paper,  and  the  ma- 
terial used  for  both  may  give  rise  to  many  re- 
marks and  instructive  conversation. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  the  slate  is  first 
used,  because  the  children  can  easily  correct 
mistakes  by  wiping  out  what  they  have  made, 
and  that  they  should  be  much  more  careful  in 
drawing  on  paper,  as  their  productions  can  not 
appear  perfectly  clean  and  neat  if  it  should 
be  necessary  to  use  the  rubber  often. 

Slate  and  slate  pencil  are  of  the  same  ma- 
terial ;  paper  and  lead  ]  »encil  are  two  very  differ- 
ent things.  On  the  slate  the  lines  and  figures 
drawn,  appear  white  on  darker  ground.  On 
the  paper,  lines  and  figures  appear  black  on 
white  ground. 

More  advanced  pupils  use  colored  lead  pen- 
cils instead  of  the  common  black  lead  pencils. 
This  adds  greatly  to  the  appearance  of  the 
figures,  and  also  enables  the  child  to  combine 
colors  tastefully  and  fittingly.  For  the  devel- 
opment of  their  sense  of  color,  and  of  taste, 
these  colored  mosaic  like  figures  are  excel- 
lent practice. 

Drawing,  as  such,  requires  observation,  at- 
tention, conception  of  the  whole  and  its  parts, 
the  recollection  of  all,  power  of  invention  and 
combination  of  thought.  Thus,  by  it,  mind 
and  fantasy  are  enriched  with  clear  ideas  and 
true  and  beautiful  pictures.  For  a  free  and 
active  development  of  the  senses,  especially 
eye  and  feeling,  drawing  can  be  made  of  in- 
calculable benefit  to  the  child,  when  its  natu- 
ral instinct  for  it  is  correctly  guided  at  its 
very  awakening.   The  child  is  first  occupied  by 

THE  VERTICAL  LINE. 

("See  Figs,  i — 42). 

The  teacher  draws  on  the  slate  a  vertical  line 
of  a  single  length  (one  fourth  of  an  inch) ,  say- 
ing while  so  doing,  I  draw  a  line  of  a  single 
length  downward.  She  then  (leaving  the  line 
on  the  slate,  or  wiping  it  out)  requires  the  child 
to  do  the  same.    (Fig.  1).  She  should  show  that 


i 


Fig.  1.  Fig.   2. 

the  line  she  made  commenced  exactly  at  the 
crossing  point  of  two  lines  of  the  net-work, 
and  also  ended  at  such  a  point. 


Care  should  be  exercised  that  the  child  hold 
the  pencil  properly,  not  press  too  much  or  too 
little  on  the  slate,  that  the  lines  drawn  be  as 
equally  heavy  as  possible,  and  that  each  single 
line  be  produced  by  one  single  stroke  of  the 
pencil.  The  teacher  should  occasionally  ask  : 
What  are  you  doing?  or,  what  have  you  done? 


Fig.  3.  Fig.  4. 

and  the  child  should  always  answer  in  a  com- 
plete sentence,  showing  that  he  works  under- 
standingly.      Soon  the  lines  may  be  drawn  up- 


Fig.   5.  Fig.   (5. 

wards  also,  and  then  they  may  be  made  al- 
ternately up  and  down  over  the  entire  slates 
until  the  child  has  acquired  a  certain  degree  of 
ability  in  handling  the  pencil. 


Fig.  7.  Fig.  8. 

The  child  is  then  required  to  draw  a  vertical 
line  of  two  lengths,  and  advances  slowly  to  lines 
of  three,  four  and  five  lengths,  (Figs.  2-5). 


Fig.  9. 
With  the  number  five  Frcebel  stops  on  this 
step.    One  to  five  are  knowrn,  even  to  the  child 
three  years  old,  by  the  number  on  his  fingers. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


185 


The  productions  thus  far  accomplished  are 
now  combined.      The  child  draws,  side  by  side 


Fig.  10.  Fig.  11. 

of  one  another,  lines  of  one  and  two  lengths 
(Fig.  6),  of  one,  two  and  three  lengths  (Fig. 
7),  of  one  two,  three  and  four  lengths  (Fig. 
8),  and  finally  lines  of  one,  two,  three,  four 
and  five  lengths   (Fig.   9).     It  always  forms 


Fig  12.  Fig.   13. 

by  so  doing  a  right-angled  triangle.     We  have 
noticed    already,    in    using    the  tablets,  that 


Fig.  14. 
right-angled  triangles  may  lie  in  many  different 
ways.  The  triangle  (Figs.  9  and  10)  can  also 
assume  various  positions.  In  Fig.  10  the  five 
lines  stand  on  the  base  line — the  smallest  is 
the  first,  the  largest  the  last,  the  right  angle  is 
to  the  right  below.  In  Fig.  1 1  the  opposite  is 
found — the  five  lines  hang  on  the  base-line,  the 
largest  comes  first,  the  smallest  last,  and  the 
right  angle  is  to  the  left  above.  Figs.  12  and  13 
are  forms  of  mediation  of  Figs.  10  and  11. 
The  child   should   be  induced   to  find  Figs. 


11-13  himself.  Leading  him  to  understand 
the  points  of  Fig.  10  exactly,  he. will  have  no 
difficulty  in  representing  the  opposite.  Instead 


Fig.  15. 
of  drawing  the  smallest  line  first,  he  will  draw 
the  longest;  instead  of  drawing  it  downward, 
he  will  move  his  pencil  upward,  or  at  least  be- 


Fig.  16. 
gin  to  draw  on  the  line  which  is  bounded  above 
and  thus  reach  Fig.  11.      By  continued  reflec- 


Fig.   17. 
tion  entirely  within  the  limits  of  his  capabilities 
he  will  succeed  in  producing  Figs.  12  and  13. 


186 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Thus  by  a  different  way  of  combination  of 
five  vertical  lines,  four  forms  have  been  pro- 
duced, consisting  of  equal  parts  being,  how- 
ever,unlike, and  therefore  oppositionally  alike. 
Each  of  these  figures  is  a  whole  in  itself. 
But  as  everything  is  always  part  of  a  large 
whole,  so  also,  these  figures  serve  as  elements 
for  more  extensive  formations. 


Fig.  18. 
In  this  feature  of  FroebeFs  drawing  method 
in  which  we  progress  from  the  simple  to  the 
more  complicated  in  the  most  natural  and  logi- 
cal manner,  unite  parts  to  a  whole  and  recog- 
nize the  former  as  members  of  the  latter,   dis- 


Fig.  19. 
cover  the  like  in  opposites,  and  the  mediation 
of  the  latter,  unquestionable  guarantee  is  given 
that  the  delight  of  the  child  will  be  renewed 
and  increased,  throughout  the  whole  course  of 
instruction.  Let  Figs.  10-13  be  so  united  that 
the  right  angles  connect  in  the  center  (Fig.  14), 
and  again  unite  them  so  that  all  right  angles 
are  on  the  outside  (Fig.  15).  Figs.  14  and 
15  are  opposites.  Fig.  14  is  a  square  with 
filled  inside  and  standing  on  one  corner.  Fig. 
15  one  resting  on  its  base,  with  hollow  middle. 


In  Fig.  14  the  right  angles  are  just  in  the 
middle ;  in  Fig.  15  they  are  the  most  outward 
corners.  In  the  forms  of  mediation  (Figs.  16 
and  1 7) ,  they  are,  it  is  true,  on  the  middle  line  ; 
but  in  the  meantime  on  the  outlines  of  the 
figures  formed.  In  the  other  forms  of  media- 
tion. (Fig.  18,  19,  etc.,)  they  lie  together  on 
the  middle  line ;  but  two  in  the  middle,  and 
two  in  the  limits  of  the  figure. 


i 


Fig.  20. 
Thus  we  have  again,  in  Fig.  18-22,  four 
forms  consisting  of  exactly  the  same  parts, 
which  therefore  are  equal  and  still  have  qual- 
ties  of  opposites.  In  the  meantime,  they  are 
fit  to  be  used  as  simple  elements  of  following 
formations.  In  Fig.  22,  they  are  combined 
into  a  star  with  filled  middle.  Numerous  forms 
of  mediation  may  be  produced,  but  we  will 
work  at  present  with  our  simple  elements. 


i 


Fig.  21. 
Owing  to  the  similarity  in  the  method  of 
drawing  to  that  employed  in  the  laying  of  the 
right  angled,  isosceles  triangle,  it  is  natural 
that  we  should  here  also  arrive  at  the  so-called 
rotation  figures,  by  grouping  our  triangles  with 
their  acute  angles  toward  the  middle  (Figs.  23 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


187 


and  24),  or  arrange  them  around  a  hollow  As  previously  remarked,  the  slate  is  ex- 
square  (Figs.  25  and  26).  changed  for  a  drawing  book  as  soon  as  the 
Figs.  27  and  28  are  forms  of  mediation  be-  progress  of  the  child  warrants  this  change, 
tween  Figs.  23  and  24  and  at  the  same  time  It  affords  a  peculiar  charm  to  the  pupil  to  see 
between  Figs.  14  and  15.  his  productions  assume  a  certain  durability  and 


Fig.  22. 
All  these  forms  again  serve  as  material  for 
new  inventions.     As  an  example,  we  produce 
Fig.  29  composed  of  Figs.  27  and  28. 


-s 

Fig.  24. 
permanency  enabling  him  to  measure,  by 
them,  the  progress  of  growing  strength 
and  ability. 

So  far  the  triangles  produced  by  co- 
arrangement  of  our  five  lines  were  right- 
angled.  Other  triangles,  however,  can  be 
produced  also.  This  however,  requires 
more  practice  and  security  in  handling  the 
pencil. 

Figs.  30  and  31  show  an  arrangement 
of  the  five  lines  of  acute  angled  (equi- 
lateral) triangles, and  are  opposites.  Their 


Fig.  23. 

The  number  of  positions  in  which  our  orig-  Fig.  25. 

inal  elements  (Figs.  10-13)  can  be  placed  by  union  gives  the  opposites  Figs.   32  and  33  ;   fi- 

one  another,  is  herewith  not  exhausted  by  far,  nally,  the  combination  of  these  two,  Fig  34. 
as  the  initiated  will  observe.  In  the  last  three  figures    we  also  meet  now 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  26. 


Fig.  27. 


Fig.  30. 


Fig.  29. 


Fig.  32. 


I    l 


- 


Fio-.  31. 


Fis;.    28. 


Fig.  33. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


189 


Fig.  34. 


Fig.  35. 


— 

a 

b 

Fisr.  37. 


Fig.  38. 


Fig.   39. 


Fig.   36. 


Fig.   40. 


190 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


the  obtuse  angle.  This  finds  its  separate  rep- 
resentation in  a  of  Fig.  35  ;  opposition  accord- 
to  position  is  given  in  b  ;  mediation  in  c  and  d 
and  the  combination  of  these  four  elements  in 
one  rhomboid  forming  Fig.  35.  The  four  ob- 
tuse angles  are  turned  inwardly.     Fig.  37,  the 


Fig.  41. 
opposite  of  Fig.  35,  is  produced  by  arranging 
the  triangles  in  such  a  manner  that  the  obtuse 
angles  are  turned  outwardly.   Fig.  36   presents 
the  form  of  mediation. 


Fig.  42. 
It  is  evident  that  with  obtuse  angled  trian- 
gles as  with  right  angled  triangles,  combina- 
tions can  be  produced.  Indeed,  the  pupil  who 
has  grown  into  the  systematic  plan  of  develop- 
ment and  combination  will  soon  be  enabled  to 
unite  given  elements  in  manifold  ways  ;  he  will 
produce  stars  with  filled  and    hollow  middle, 


rotation  forms,  etc.,  and  his  mental  and  phys- 
ical power  and  capacity  will  be  developed  and 
strengthened   by  such  inventive  exercises. 

Side  by  side  with  invention  of  forms  of 
beauty  and  knowledge,  the  representation  of 
forms  of  life,  take  place,  in  free  individual  ac- 
tivity. The  child  forms,  of  lines  of  one  length, 
a  plate,  (Fig.  38),  or  a  star,  (Fig.  39),  of 
lines  of  one  and  two  lengths  a  cross,  (Fig.  40 ) , 
of  lines  up  to  four  lengths  he  represents  a 
coffee-mill,  Fig.  41),  and  employs  the  whole 
material  of  vertical  lines  at  his  command  in 
the  construction  of  a  large  building  with  part 
of  wall  connected  with  it.  (Fig.  42).  Equal 
consideration,  however,  is  to  be  bestowed  upon 
the  opposite  of  the  vertical. 

THE   HORIZONTAL  LINE. 

Fig-s.  43—63. 

The  child  learns  to  draw  lines  of  a  single 
length  below  each  other, then  lines  of  two, three, 
four  and  five  lengths,  (Figs.  43-47).  He  ar- 
ranges them  also  beside  each  other,  (Figs. 
48-50)  ,  unites  lines  of  one 
and  two  lengths,  (Fig. 
51),  of  on  e  ,  t  w  o  a  n  d 
three  lengths,  (Fig.  52), 
of  one  to  four  leng  t  h  s , 
(Fig.  53),  finally  of  one 
to  five  lengths,  th  e  r  e  b  y 
producing  the  right  angled 
triangle,  Fig.  54,itsoppo- 
site^  Fig. 55,  and  forms  of 
mediation,  Figs.  56  and 
5  7 .  The  pupil  arr  a  11  g  e  s 
the  elements  into  a  square 
with  filled  middle,  (Fig. 
58 ) ,  with  hollow  middle, 
(Fig.  59),  produces  the 
forms  of  mediation,  (Fig. 
60),  and  continues  to 
treat  the  horizontal  line 
just  as*  he  has  been  taught 
to  do  with  the  vertical. 
Rotation  forms, larger  fig- 
ures, acute  and  obtuse 
angled  triangles  can  be  formed ;  forms  of 
beauty,  knowledge  and  life  are  also  invented 
here,  (Fig.  61,  adjustable  lamp;  Fig.  62, 
key;  Fig.  63,  pigeon-house);  and  after  the 
child  has  accomplished  all  this, he  arrives  fi- 
nally, in  a  most  natural  way,  at  the  combina- 
tion of  vertical  and  horizontal  lines. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


191 


Fig.   43.  Fig.   44. 


" 

Fig.   45. 


Fig.   56. 


Fig.  57. 


Fig.  46. 


Fig.  47, 


Figs.  48.  Fig.  49.     Fig.   50. 


1 — i — I — t 
Fig.  51. 


Fig.  52. 


— 

Fig.   53. 


'Mil 


Fig.  58. 


Fig.  59. 


__j 


m 


Fig.  54. 


Fig.  55. 


Fig.  60. 


192 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 





— I  1  I  i  — 

j illli- 

I i — i — I 

_ |  |  ,  -r_. 

—  i        If 

1 — | — 


Fig.  61.  Fig. 

COMBINATION   OF    VERTICAL     AND 
HORIZONTAL  LINES. 

Figs.    64 — 92. 

First,  lines  of  one  single  length  are  com- 
bined ;  we  already  have  lour  forms  different  as 
to  position,  (Fig.  G4).  Then  follow  the  com- 
bination of  two,  three,  four,  live-fold  lengths, 


62. 


Pie.  63. 


Fig.  69  is  produced.  Its  opposite  Fig.  70  and 
the  forms  of  mediation, can  be  easily  found.  A 
union  of  these  four  elements  appears  in  the 
square, Fig.  71 ;  opposite  Fig.  72.  In  Fig.  71, 
the  right  angles  are  turned  toward  the  middle, 


Fig.   64.  Fig.   65. 

(Figs.  65-68)  with  each  of  which  f  our  opposites 
as  to  position    are  possible.     As  previously, 


Fig.   C,s.  Fig.   69. 

and  the  middle  is  full.    In  Fig.   71  the  reverse 
is  the  case.    Forms  of  mediation  easily  found. 


Fig.   70. 

Fig.    66.  Fig.    67.  If  vertical  and  horizontal  lines  can  be  united 

lines  of  one  to  five-fold  lengths  are  united  to    only  to  form  right  angles,  we  have  previously 
triangles,   so  now  the  angles    are   united  and    seen  that  vertical  as  well  as  horizontal  lines 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


103 


may  be  combined  to  obtuse  and  acute-angled 
triangles.  The  same  is  possible,  if  they  are 
united.       Fig.  73   gives   us   an  example. 

As  in  Fig.  73,  the  vertical  lines  form  an  ob- 
tuse-angled triangle,  so  the  horizontal  lines, 
and  finally  both  kinds  of  lines  can  at  the  same 
time  be  arranged  into  obtuse-angled  triangles. 


Fig.    71. 

Thus  a  series  of  new  elements  is  produced, 
whose  systematic  employment  the  teacher 
should  take  care  to  facilitate. 

So  far  we  have  only  formed  angles  of  lines 
equal  in  length  ;  but  lines  of  unequal  lengths 


Fig.  72. 
may  be  combined  for  this  purpose.  Exactly 
in  the  same  manner  as  lines  of  a  single  length 
were  treated,  the  child  now  combines  tne  line 
of  a  single  length  with  that  of  two  lengths, 
then,  in  the  same  way,  the  line  of  two  lengths 
with  that  of  four  lengths,  that  of  three  with 
that  of  six,  that  of  four  with  that  of  eight,  and 
finally,  the  line  of  five  lengths  with  that  of  ten. 
The  combination  of  these  angles  affords  new 
elements  with  which  the  pupil  can  continue  to 
form  interesting  figures   in    the  already  well- 


known  manner.  Figs.  73  and  75  are  such 
fundamental  forms  ;  the  development  of  Avhich 
to  other  figures  will  «ive  rise  to  many  instruc- 


Fig.   73. 
tive  remarks.      These  figures  show  us  that  for 
such  formations  the  horizontal  as  well  as  the 


Fig.  71. 
vertical  line  may  have  the  double  length.  Fig. 
74  shows  the  horizontal  lines  combined  in  such 
a  way  as  if  to  form  an  acute-angled  triangle. 
They,  however,  form  a  right-angled  triangle, 
only  the  right  angle  is  not,  as  heretofore,  at 
the  end  of  the  longest  line,  but  where?  An 
acute-angled  triangle  would  result,  if  the  hor- 
izontal lines  were  all  two  net-squares  distant 
from  each  other.  Then,  however,  the  vertical 
lines  would  form  an  obtuse-angled  triangle. 
Important  progress  is  made,  when  we  com- 


194 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 




___ — *;— _ 

_ 


Fig. 


Fig.  7;'). 
bine  horizontal  and  vertical 
lines  in  such  a  way  that  by 
touching  in  two  points  they 
form  closed  figures,  squares 
and  oblongs.  Fig.   78. 

and  five  lines.  These  are  combined  then 
as  vertical  lines  were  combined  also  l2 
with  22,  the  l2,  22,  and  32,  etc.  These 
combinations  can  be  carried  out  in  a 
vertical  direction,  when  the  squares  will 
stand  over  or  under  each  other  ;  or  in  a 
horizontal,  when  the  squares  will  stand 
side  by  side  ;  or,  finally, these  two  oppo- 
sites  may  be  combined  with  one  another. 
Fig.  76, shows  as  an  example  a  combi- 
nation of  four  squares  in  a  horizontal  di- 
rection, its  opposite,  and  forms  of  me- 
diation 

In  Fig.  77,  squares  of  the 
first,  second  and  third  sizes 
are  combined, vertically  and 
horizonta  1 1  y  ,  1'ormi  ng  a 
right  angle  to  the  right  be- 
low ;  then  comes  the  oppo- 
site, (angle  left  above)  and 
the  forms  of  med  i  a  t  i  o  n  . 
The  same  rule  is  f ol  1  o  w  ed 
Fig.    77.  here  as  with  the  right  angle 

First,  the  child  draws  squares  of  one-length's    formed  by  single  lines.  The  simple  elements  are 
dimension,  then  of  two-lengths,  of  three,  four,    combined  with  each  other    into  a  square    with 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


195 


Fia:.   79. 


hollow  middle,  etc.  ;  and  from  the  new  elements  tially  new  element  should  give  rise  to  a  num- 
thus  produced  larger  figures  are  again  created,  her  of  exercises,  conditioned  only  by  the  indi- 
as  the  example  Fig.  78,  illustrates.   Squares  of    vicinal  ability  of  the  child.     It  must  be  left  to 

the  faithful  teacher,  by  an  earnest  ob- 
servation and  study  of  her  pupils,  to 
find  the  right  extent,  here  as  every 
where  in  their  occupations.  Indis- 
criminate skipping  is  not  al  1  o  w  e  d  , 
neither  to  pupil  nor  teacher  ;  each  fol- 
lowing production  must,  under  all  cir- 
cumstances be  derived  from  the  pre- 
ceding one. 

As  the  square  was  the  re  suit  of 
angles  formed  of  lines  of  equal  length, 
so  also  with  the  oblo  n  g.  Here,  too, 
the  child  begins  with  the  simplest.  He 
forms  oblongs,  the  base  of  which  is  a 
single  line,  the  height  of  which  is  a  line 
of  double  length.  He  reverses  the  case 
then.  Base  line  two,  height  single  length. 
Retaining  the  same  proportions,  he  pro- 
gresses to  larger  oblongs,  the  height  of 
which  is  double  the  size  of  its  base,  and 
vice  versa,  until  he  has  reached  the  num- 
bers five  and  ten. 

It    is    but   natural   that    these     oblongs, 
standing  or  lying,  should  also  be  united  in 
vertical  and  horizontal  directions.       Each 
form    thus    produced  again   assumes    four 
different  positions,  and  the  four  ele- 
ments are  again  unit  e  d  to  n  e  w 
formations,  according  to  the  rules 
previously  explained.    Fig.    79  a, 
shows  an  arangement  of   standing 
oblongs,    in  horizontal  directions. 
The   opposite   would   contain   the 
right  angle,  at  a  to  the  right  be- 
low— to  the  left  above  ;  Fig.    79  c 
would  be  one  form   of   mediation, 
a  second  one,    (opposite  of   Fig. 
79  c)  would  have  its  right  angle  to 
the  right  above. 

Fig.  80,  shows  a  combination  of 
lying  oblongs,  in  a  vertical  direc- 
tion. Fig.  81,  shows  oblongs  in 
vertical  and  horizontal  directions. 
Fig.  82,  a  combination  of  standing 
and  lying  oblongs, the  former  being 
arranged  vertically, the  latter,  hori- 
zontally. 

In  Fig.   83,  we  find  standing  ob- 
a  Fig.    81.  c         longs  so  combined  that  the  form  represents  an 

from  one  to  five  length  lines  of  course  admit  of  acute  angled  triangle;  a  and  c  are  the  only 
being  combined  in  similar  manner.  Each  essen-    possible  opposites  in  the  same. 


Fig.  80. 


196 


QUARTER   CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  82. 


Fio-.  86. 


Fie;.  83. 


1 

Fi«'.  87. 


i    |    I    I    it    i\ 


F 

ig 

81 

1. 

— 

Fig.  84. 


Fio-.   85. 


Fio-.   89. 


Fie-.   90. 


PARADISE  OF   CHILDHOOD. 


197 


Fig.   91. 


F 

ig 

12 

L 

These  few  examples  may  suffice  to 
indicate  the  abundance  of  forms  which 
may  be  constructed  with  such  simple 
material  as  the  horizontal  and  verti- 
cal lines,  from  one  to  five  lengths, 
(and  double). 

It  is  the  task  of  the  educator  to 
lead  the  learner  to  detect  the  elements, 
logically,   in    order    to   produce  with 

them,  new  forms  in  unlimited  num- 
"    bers,  within  the  boundaries   of  the 

laws  laid  down  for  this  purpose. 
But  even  without  using  these  ele- 
_1     ments,  the  child  will  be  able,  owing 

-  to  continued  practice,  to  represent 

-  manifold  forms  of  life  and  beauty, 

-  partly  by  his  own   free  invention, 
"     partly   by  imitating  the  objects   he 

has  seen  before.  As  samples  of 
the  former,  Fig.  90  shows  a  cress. 
Fig.  92  a  triumphal  gate,  Fig.  93  a 

_    windmill;  of  the  latter,Figs.  84-86,. 

_     89  and  91  show  samples  of  borders  > 

-  Figs.  87  and  88  show  other  simple 

-  embellishments.       As   the    vertical 

-  line  conditioned   its   opposite,     the 
"     horizontal  line,  both   again  condi- 
tion their  mediation. 


Fig.  93. 


OBLIQUE  LINES. 

(Figs.  94—134;. 

Our  remarks  here  can  be  brief  as  the  opera- 
tions are  nothing  but  a  repetition  of  those  in 
connection  with  the  vertical  line. 

The  child  practices  the  drawing  of  lines  from 
one  to  five  lengths,  (Figs  94-98)  and  combines 
these,  receiving  thereby  four  opposition  ally 
equal  right-angled  triangles,  (Fig.  99-102), 
of  which  it  produces  a  square,  (Fig.  103),  its 
opposite,  (Fig.  104),  forms  of  mediation,  (Fig. 
105),  and  finally  large  figures. 

Then  the  lines  are  arranged  into  obtuse  an- 
gles, and  the  same  process  gone  through  with 
them. 

With  these,  as  in  Fig.  106,  its  opposite  Fig. 
109,  and  its  forms  of  mediation,  Figs.  107  and 
108,  the  obtuse  angles  will  be  found  at  the 
vertical  middle  line,  or  as  in  Fig.  110,  at  the 
horizontal  middle  line.  By  a  combination  of 
Figs.  108  and  110  we  produce  a  star,  Fig.  112. 
Finally  we  have  also,  reached  here  the  forma- 
tion of  the  acute  angled  triangle,  (Fig.  111). 
The   oblique  line  presents  particular  richness 


108 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


in  forms,  as  it  may  be  a  line  of  various  degrees  In  all  these  cases,  the  obliques  were  diag- 
of  inclination.  It  is  an  oblique  of  the  first  de-  onals  of  standing  oblongs.  They  may  just  as 
gree  whenever  it  appears  as  the  diagonal  of  a    well  be  diagonals  of  lying  oblongs,     y[g.  H6, 


/ 

/ 

Fig.  94.  Fig.  95.  Fig.  96. 

square,  as  in  Figs.  94-112.    When  it  appears 
as  the  diagonal  of  an  oblong,  it  is  either  an 


Fig.    97.  Fig.   98. 

oblique  of  the  second,  third,  fourth  or  fifth  de- 
gree, according  to  the  proportions  of  the  base 
line  and  height  of  the  oblong,  one  to  two,  one 
to  three,  one  to  four,  one  to  five. 


/ 

/ 

/ 

—  - 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

. 

Fig.  99.  Fig.   100. 

The  upper  left  hand  corner  of  Fig.  113, 
shows  obliques  of  the  second  degree  united  to 
a  right-angled  triangle ;  the  lower  right  hand 


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Fig.  103. 
in  which  obliques  from  the  first  to  the  fifth  de- 
gree are  united,  will  illustrate  this.     The  ob- 
liques are  here  arranged  one  above  the  other. 


~  zzzzz_ 

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Fig.    101.  Fig.  102. 

its  opposite ;  and  the  remaining   two  corners 
form  mediations.  Fig.   105. 

In  Fig.  114,  the  same  lines  are  united  in  an    In  Fig.  117,  the  right  and  left  sides  show  a  simi- 
obtuse  angled  triangle.    In  Fig.  115,  they  finally    lar  combination  ;  the  obliques,  however,  are  ar- 


form  an  acute  angle. 


ranged   beside   one  another ;    the    upper    and 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


199 


f — [ — i — 

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7 

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zy  <^_ 

77    ' 

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5  X  - 

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Fig.   106.       Fig.  107. 


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Fig.   110. 


7 

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Fig.   111. 


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Fig.  108.       Fig.   109. 


Fig.   112. 


200 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


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Fig.   115. 


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Fig.    114. 


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Fig.    119. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


201 


4 


Fig.   125. 


Fig.   120. 


K- —J , 


Fig.    122. 


Fig.    121. 


Fig.   123. 


Fig.   126. 


Fig.   12' 


Fig.   124. 


Fig.   128. 


202 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


t 

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Fig.    12'J. 


Fig.    132. 


Si 


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Fig.   130. 


Fig.   131. 


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Fig.   133. 


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Fis.   134. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


203 


lower   members    are    formed  of  diagonals  of 
standing  oblongs. 

Obliques  of  various  grades  can  be  united 
with  one  point  as  in  Fig.  118,  beside  which  the 
form  of  mediation  would  appear  as  Fig.  119. 

As  in  this  case,  lying  figures  are  produced, 
standing  ones  can  be  produced  likewise.  Each 
two  of  the  elements  thus  received  may  be  united 
so  that  all  obliques  issue  from  one  point,  as  in 
Fig.  120,  and  in  its  opposite,  Fig.  121. 

An  oppositional  combination  can  also  take 
place,  so  that  each  two  lines  of  the  same  grade 
meet,  (Fig.  122).  The  combination  of  obliques 
with  obliques  to  angles,  to  squares  and  oblongs 
now  follow,  analogous  to  the  method  of  com- 
bining oblongs,  vertical  and  horizontal  lines. 
Finally  the  combination  of  vertical  and  oblique, 
horizontal  and  oblique  lines  to  angles,  rhombus 
and  rhomboid  is   introduced. 

With  these,  the  child  tries  his  skill  in  pro- 
ducing forms  of  life  :  Fig.  133,  gate  of  a  for- 
tress ;  Fig.  134,  church  with  a  schoolhouse 
and  cemetery  wall,  and  forms  of  beauty  :  Figs. 
123-132.  The  task  of  the  Kindergarten  and 
the  teacher  has  been  accomplished,  if  the  child 
has  learned  to  manage  oblique  lines  of  the  first 
and  second  degree  skillfully.  All  given  in- 
struction which  aimed  at  something  beyond 
this  was  intended  for  tbe  study  of  the  teacher 
and  the  primary  department,  which  is  still  more 
the  case  in  regard  to  the  curved  line. 

THE  CURVED  LINE. 

(Figs.  i3S— 147-) 

Simply  to  indicate  the  progress,  and  to  give 
Frcebel's  system  of  instruction  in  drawing  com- 
plete, we  add  the  following, and  Figs.  135-147 
in  illustration  of  it. 

First,  the  child  has  to  acquire  the  ability  to 
draw  a  curved  line.  The  simplest  curved  line 
is  the  circle,  from  which  all  others  may  be 
derived. 

However,  it  is  difficult  to  draw  a  circle, and 
the  net  on  slate  and  paper  do  not  afford  suffi- 
cient help  and  guide  for  so  doing.  But  on  the 
other  hand,  the  child  has  been  enabled  to  draw 
squares,  straight  and  oblique  lines,  and  with 
the  assistance  of  these  it  is  not  difficult  to  find 
a  number  of  poiuts  which  lie  on  the  periphery 
of  a  circle  of  given  size. 

It  is  known  that  all  corners  of  a  quadrangle 
(square  or  oblong)  lie  in  the  periphery  of  a 
circle  whose  diameter  is  the  diagonal  of  the 


quadrangle.  In  the  same  manner  all  other  right 
angles  constructed  over  the  diameter,  are  pe- 
riphery angles,  affording  a  point  of  the  desired 
circular  line.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  con- 
struct such  right  angles,  and  this  can  be  done 
very  readily  with  the  assistance  of  obliques  of 
various  grades. 


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_g. 

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C> 

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f 

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It 

Fig.   135. 

Suppose  we  draw  from  point  a  (Fig.  135), 
an  oblique  of  the  third  degree,  as  the  diagonal 
of  a  standing  oblong  ;  draw  then,  starting  from 
point  c,  an  oblong  of  the  third  degree,  as  diag- 
onal of  a  lying  oblong,  and  continue  both  these 
lines.  They  will  meet  in  point  a,  and  there 
form  a  right  angle. 

All  obliques  of  the  same  degree,  drawn  from 
opposite  points,  will  do  the  same  as  soon  as 
the  one  approaches  the  vertical  in  the  same 
proportion  in  which  the  other  comes  near  the 
horizontal,  or  as  soon  as  the  one  is  the  diag- 
onal of  a  standing,  the  other  of  a  lying  oblong. 


/ 


M 


\ 


Fig.  136. 
The  lines  Aa  and  Cc  are  obliques  of  the 
third,  Ab  and  Cb  of  the  second,  Af  and  Cf  of 
the  third  degree,  "etc.,  etc.  In  this  manner  it 
is  easy  to  find  a  number  of  points,  all  of  which 
are  points  in  the  circular  line,  intended  to  be 
drawn.     Two  or  three  of  them  over  each  side, 


204 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


will  suffice  to  facilitate  the  drawing  of  the  cir- 
CDMseribing  circle  (Fig.  136).  In  like  manner 
the  iNTERScribing  circle,  will  be  obtained  by 
drawing  the  middle  transversals  of  the  square, 
(Fig.  137),  and  constructing  from  their  end- 
points  angles  in  the  previously  described 
manner. 

After  the  pupil  has  obtained  a 
correct  idea  of  the  size  and  form 
of  the  circle,  whose  radius  may 
be  of  from  one  to  five  lengths,  he 


*p 

a 

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/ 

w 

(/ 

v 

u' 

vL 

r 

\ 

—\ 

W~ 

U 

t\ 

1 

v\ 

A 

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-   d 

^ 

Fig.    137.  Fig.    138. 

will  divide  the  same  in  half  and  quarter  circles, 
producing  thereby  the  elements  for  his  farther 
activity. 


The  course  of  instruction  is  here  again  the 
same  as  that  in  connection  with  the  vertical 
line.  The  pupil  begins  with  quarter  circles, 
radius  of  which  is  of  a  single  length.  Then  fol- 
low quarter  circles  with  a  radius  of  from  two 
to  five  lengths.     By  arrangement  of  these  five 


Eig.   140.  Fig.   141. 

quarter  circles,  four  elements  are  produced, 
which  are  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
triangles  produced  by  arrangement  of  five 
straight  lines.  The  segments  may  be  parallel 
and  the  arrangement  may  take  place  in  vertical 
and  horizontal  direction,  (Figs.  138  and  139), 
or  they  may,  like  the  obliques  of  various  de- 
grees, meet  in  one  point,  as  in  Fig.  142,  of 
which  Figs.  138  and  130  are  examples. 

Fig.  140,  represents  the  combination  of  the 
elements  a  and  cl  as  a  new  element ;  Fig.  141, 


the  combination  of  d  and  c.     In  Fig.  142,  the 
arrangement    finally    takes    place    in    oblique 
direction,  and  all  lines  meet  in  one  point. 
The  quarter  circle  is  followed  by  the  half 


Fig.    142. 
circle,  Figs.  143-145;  then  the  three  fourths 
circle,     (Fig.  146),   and  the  whole    circle,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  147. 


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£  h  1 

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v-  \  LZ        5  " 

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t-  ^— 3vv-  5 

A              Z4    A~       1_ 

^w-^    ,  j 

t  4  7     ' 

^-^     Z 

^ 

-1 ; 

Fig.    143. 
With  the  introduction  of  each  new  line, 
same  manner  of  proceeding  is  observed. 

Notwithstanding  the  brevity  with  which  we 


the 


L          ^ 

~^r-- 

/ 

"c-S 

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C  c 

□=ti 

\    \ 

^  -£- 

V 

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^  ^' 

r 

Fig.    144. 
have  treated  the  subject,  we  nevertheless  be- 
lieve we  have  presented  the  course  of  instruc- 
tion in  drawing  sufficiently  clear  and  forcible, 


PARADISE  OF   CHILDHOOD. 


205 


and  hope  that  by  it  we  have  made   evident : —  drawing  for  the  future  life  of  the  pupil — may 

1.     That  the  method  described  here  is  per-  he  be  led  therein  by  its  significance  for  indus- 

fectly  adapted  to  the  child's  abilities,  and  tit 

to  develoo  them  in  the  most  logical  manner. 


Fig.    145.  Fig.    146. 

2.  That  the  abundance  of  mathematical 
perceptions  offered  with  it,  and  the  constant 
necessity  for  combining  according  to  certain 
laws,  cannot  fail  to  surely  exert  a  wholesome 
influence  in  the  mental  development  of  the  pupil. 

3.  That  the  child  thus  prepared  for  future 
instruction  in  drawing,  will  derive  from  such 
instruction  more  benefit  than  a  child  prepared 
by  any  other  method. 

Whosoever  acknowledges  the  importance  of 


Fig.  147. 
trial  purposes,  or  aesthetic  enjoyment,  which 
latter  it  may  afford  even  the  poorest ! — will  be 
unanimous  with  us  in  advocating  an  early  com- 
mencement of  this  branch  of  instruction  with 
the  child. 

If  there  be  any  skeptics  on  this  point,  let 
them  try  the  experiment,  and  we  are  sure  they 
will  be  won  over  to  our  side  of  the  question. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


The  system  of  drawing  based  on  netted  slates 
and  paper,  as  recommended  by  Froebel  has  been 
freely  criticised  in  recent  years,  and  by  some 
kindergartners  entirely  discarded.  The  draw- 
ing exercises  which  have  been  already  given 
were  devised  either  by  Froebel  or  his  early  fol- 
lowers in  accordance  with  the  principles  which 
he  is  supposed  to  have  held.  If  Froebel  had 
received  in  his  youth  the  instruction  in  draw- 
ing which  is  enjoyed  by  the  children  of  the 
present  time  he  probably  would  have  developed 
a  system  of  drawing  for  the  kindergarten  some- 
what different  from  that  which  bears  his  name, 
and  3Tet  it  is  safe  for  his  followers  to  hesitate 
before  they  entirely  discard  his  suggestions  on 
this  subject.  It  is  well  in  this  connection  to 
consider  how  much  of  his  work  has  come  to  be 
recognized  as  of  great  value,  after  having  been 
neglected  and  practically  ignored  by  our  best 
educators  for  a  generation,  and  we  should  give 
careful  attention  to  the  claims  made  for  the 
netted  drawing,  adopt  as  much  of  it  as  seems 


to  be  of  value  and  then  go  on  with  the  more 
modern  methods  which  have  been  proved  to  be 
desirable,  during  the  last  twenty-five  years  of 
progress  in  art  and  industrial  education.  In 
free-hand  drawing  Froebel  has  practically  left 
us  no  suggestions.  He  was  a  surveyor  and 
a  mathematical  draftsman  with  no  training  in 
artistic  free-hand  drawing.  Prof.  Wiebe  seems 
to  have  quite  clearly  set  forth  the  principal 
features  of  value  in  the  system  of  drawing  used 
by  Froebel  and  developed  by  his  followers  for 
twenty-five  years  after  his  death.  The  editor 
prefers  in  this  edition  of  Prof.  Wiebe's  book  to 
treat  of  netted  drawing  as  it  was  advocated  by 
Froebel,  without  addition  to  the  original  text  or 
argument  for  its  valuable  qualities. 

In  addition  to  the  exercises  thus  recom- 
mended there  is  undoubtedly  some  educational 
profit  in  copying  on  netted  paper  the  designs 
laid  on  the  kindergarten  table  with  sticks,  and 
whatever  of  value  there  is  in  this  work  may  be 
secured  by  using  sticks  from  one  to  four  inches 


206 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


long  to  form  the  designs  on  the  table,  and  net- 
ted paper  with  one  qnarter  to  one  half  inch 
squares  for  copying  the  figures.  A  habit  of 
accuracy  is  cultivated  and  some  ability  in  imi- 
tating is  developed  in  such  work,  which  must 
be  of  value  in  almost  any  phase  of  industrial 
art.  The  reproduction  of  this  school  of  netted 
drawing,  with  such  prominence  as  it  here  as- 
sumes in  comparison  with  all  else  that  is  shown 
of  drawing  in  this  book,  is  not  intended  to  in- 
dicate its  relative  importance  at  the  present 
time,  but  to  avoid  losing  sight  of  FroebePs  rec- 
ommendations. Little  space  is  here  devoted 
to  the  modern  methods  of  instruction  in  draw- 
ing because  these  are  constantly  before  the 
teachers  and  are  also  fully  explained  by  com- 
petent writers  in  various  publications  relating 
to  the  subject.  For  the  use  of  slates,  either  in 
the  kindergarten  or  the  school,  there  is  no  ex- 
cuse at  the  present  day.  The  one  argument 
of  economy  is  offset  a  hundred  fold  by  hygienic 
and  other  objections  which  are  patent  to  all  who 
have  given  thought  to  the  question. 

Before  drawing  can  be  intelligently  taught 
in  any  kindergarten  the  teacher  must  know  so 
much  of  the  subject  as  to  be  aide  to  select  from 
the  various  systems  of  primary  drawing  the  pe- 
culiar features  best  adapted  to  the  kindergar- 
ten. A  child  in  his  second  kindergarten  year 
ought  to  be  better  prepared  to  undertake  any 
phase  of  drawing  than  a  pupil  in  the  second 
year  of  the  primary  school  without  any  pre- 
vious kindergarten  experience,  because  of  the 
superior  training  inform  perception  and  manual 
dexterity  which  the  kindergarten  affords  in  the 
first  ye.ar. 

Drawing  is  a  universal  language  by  which 
communication  may  be  held  between  all  classes 
of  the  human  race.  The  Hieroglyphics  of  the 
ancient  nations  and  the  rude  drawings  of  the 
American  Indians  are  the  means  by  which  ideas 
were  transmitted  from  one  age  to  another  and 
by  which  we  are  to  learn  much  of  life  in  the 
past.  Careful  observation  must  precede  dra  vy- 
ing, and  any  drawing  which  represents  in  a 
reasonable  degree  the  leading  truths  regarding 
the  form  of  objects,  is  legitimate  and  not  with- 
out value.  The  most  progressive  methods  of 
teaching  drawing  in  our  schools  to-day  are 
founded  on  form  study  and  model  drawing,  and 
therefore  the  children  of  the  kindergarten  have 
a  great  advantage  over  others  in  learning  to 
draw,  because  the  instruction  of  the  kinder- 


garten includes  so  much  of  form  study  that  the 
pupils  learn  to  perceive  more  clearly  than  other 
children  the  fundamental  forms  in  the  objects 
around  them. 

Educationally,  elementary  drawing  may  be 
divided  into  three  general  classes  :  Illustrative 
drawing  ;  mathematical  or  instrumental  draw- 
ing, which  is  often  termed  mechanical  drawing  ; 
and  free-hand  objective  drawing,  or  drawing 
from  models.  In  this  order  illustrative  draw- 
ing is  placed  first  because  it  is  the  first  at- 
tempt of  the  savage  and  the  child  to  express 
ideas  by  pictorial  illustration.  This  must  also 
be  considered  again  after  all  others,  because  it 
is  the  highest  achievement  of  the  artist  to  ex- 
press ideals  surpassing  in  beauty  all  nature. 
If  properly  encouraged,  the  child  from  the 
earliest  age  at  which  he  can  hold  a  pencil  is 
delighted  to  draw  rude  representations  of  his 
pets  and  toys.  He  will  often  see  in  his  draw- 
ing a  likeness  to  an  object  which  does  not  ap- 
pear to  the  more  mature  perceptions,  because 
the  child  grasps  the  general  forms  or  more 
striking  features  without  observing  the  minor 
details.  In  this  faculty  the  infant  possesses 
naturally  that  which  the  older  student  must  ac- 
quire before  he  can  become  an  expert  artist. 
Therefore  the  kindergarten  child  should  have 
free  access  at  proper  times  to  the  blackboard, 
or  be  furnished  with  cheap  paper  and  pencil 
for  illustrating  in  his  own  way  the  stories  which 
are  told  to  him  or  which  he  may  be  led  to  tell 
of  his  oAvn  experience.  In  such  drawings  it  is 
not  expected  that  any  of  the  truths  of  perspec- 
tive will  be  very  accurately  expressed.  It  may 
be  that  a  cat,  a  chicken,  a  house  or  a  tree  will 
be  drawn,  and  if  the  resemblance  which  is  at- 
tempted is  approximated  in  the  result  it  should 
receive  such  approval  as  will  furnish  encourage- 
ment to  further  effort.  This  idea  was  not  popu- 
lar fifty  years  ago  and  the  noontime  efforts  of 
the  district  school  pupils  to  decorate  the  black- 
boards, schoolroom  walls  and  desk  tops  with 
samples  of  elementary  art  and  "knife  work" 
were  frowned  upon  in  such  a  practical  man- 
ner as  to  destroy  all  ambition  for  excellence  in 
graphic  expression  as  well  as  manual  training. 
The  kindergarten  may  be  the  means  for  de- 
veloping many  an  artist  as  well  as  an  artizan 
who  would  otherwise  never  show  any  talent  in 
these  directions. 

If  the  teacher  has  given  such  attention  to  the 
simplest  elements   of   illustrative  drawing  as 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


207 


u:H-J     St 


4'k 


Fisf.   152. 


Fig.   150 


#) 
J^^^? 


■-?%-. 


W 


Fig.  151. 


Fig.   154. 


208 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


will  enable  her  to  produce  such  blackboard 
sketches  as  are  suggested  by  the  simple  outlines 
shown  in  Figs.  148-154,  the  frequent  use  of 
this  faculty  will  give  the  children  samples  that 
may  stimulate  them  to  accomplish  the  same 
results  in  the  expression  of  their  own  ideas, 
and  if  they  should  merely  imitate  the  work  of 
the  teacher  no  harm  can  result  as  the  work  will 
afford  the  best  possible  training  in  finger  and 
arm  movements. 

Instrumental  drawing  which  is  suggested  as 
the  second  division  of  the  general  subject,  in- 
cludes all  drawing  made  to  a  scale,  such  as  a 
map  which  is  the  plan  of  a  section  of  countiy, 
or  a  square  which  is  a  drawing  of  one  face  of 
a  cube.  In  all  such  drawings  no  representa- 
tion of  solidity  by  means  of  perspective  is  at- 
tempted, and  they  are  made  either  the  exact 
size  of  the  object  or  of  some  definite  propor- 
tion as  one  half  size,  one  quarter  size,  etc., 
and  therefore  by  the  use  of  a  suitable  "scale" 
may  be  measured  and  the  actual  size  of  the  ob- 
ject determined  so  that  it  can  be  correctly  re- 
produced from  the  drawing.  Such  drawings 
are  often  called  "working  drawings."  In  the 
kindergarten  only  "full  size"  drawings  should 
be  attempted  and  for  this  purpose  the  forms 
found  in  the  kindergarten  material  cannot  be 
surpassed  as  models.  Because  the  ball  is  a 
circle  from  whatever  position  it  is  viewed,  this 
fact  regarding  its  form  is  easily  perceived  by 
the  child  and  thus  if  he  lays  the  round  tablet 
of  the  seventh  gift  on  his  paper  and  marks 
around  it,  he  will  have  a  circle  which  is  an  out- 
line of  a  ball  and  may  be  finished  to  represent 
a  first-gift  ball  by  adding  a  line  for  the  string. 
If  the  square  tablet  is  used  as  a  pattern  to  be 
marked  around,  it  will  represent  the  face' of  a 
third-gift  cube.  So  also  the  other  tablets  may 
serve  as  patterns  for  drawing  representations 
of  the  faces  of  the  other  gift  blocks. 

In  the  four-inch  folding  paper  we  have  one 
of  the  most  valuable  drawing  models  for  this 
class  of  work.  For  example  let  the  pupil  lay 
a  four-inch  square  folding  paper  on  a  sheet  of 
plain  drawing  paper,  make  a  dot  at  each  cor- 
ner, remove  the  paper  and  with  a  ruler  for  a 
guide  draw  the  four  straight  lines  connecting 
the  dots  and  forming  a  square.  This  square 
is  a  complete  mathematical  drawing  of  the 
folding  paper,  because  the  paper  practically 
has  no  thickness  and  therefore  has  but  two 
dimensions,  both  of  which   are   shown   in   the 


drawing.  Now  fold  the  paper  accurately,  one 
edge  to  the  opposite  edge,  unfold  and  carefully 
lay  the  paper  on  the  drawing  of  the  square  al- 
ready outlined,  and  make  a  dot  at  each  end 
of  the  crease  procured  by  the  fold.  Remove 
the  paper  and  with  the  aid  of  the  ruler  draw  a 
line  connecting  the  dots  and  representing   the 


Fig.   155< 


Fig.    156. 


Fig.   157. 


Fie.   158. 


Fig.   159. 


Fig.   160. 


creases  made  by  the  fold,  as  in  Fig.  155.  Fold 
the  other  two  opposite  edges  together  in  the 
same  way  and  draw  the  line  representing  the 
second  ci'ease  at  right  angles  to  the  first,  form- 
ing Fig.  156.  Now  fold  the  four  corners  to  the 
center,  unfold  and  draw  lines  representing  the 
four  new  creases  as  indicated  in  Fig.  157.  An- 
other simple  sequence  is  shown  in  Figs.  158, 
159,  and  160,  while  many  others  may  be  de- 
vised. As  geometrical  drawing  in  the  higher 
grades  develops  the  power  of  exact  obser- 
vation and  manual  performance,  so  the  net- 
ted drawiug  of  Froebel  and  the  previously  de- 
scribed practice  with  the  tablets  and  folding 
papers  as  models  are  equally  useful  in  culti- 
vating the  same  qualities  in  the  kindergarten. 
The  teacher  must  constantly  have  in  mind  the 
fact  that  all  exercises  with  the  children  which 


PARADISE  OF   CHILDHOOD. 


209 


require  accuracy  and  close  attention  must  be 
used  for  only  a  very  few  minutes  at  one  sit- 
ting. But  because  this  restriction  is  necessary 
it  must  not  be  inferred  that  all  exercises  requir- 
ing any  degree  of  exactness  must  be  abolished 
or  forbidden  in  the  kindergarten.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  especially  impress  upon  a  compe- 
tent kindergartner  the  necessity  for  accuracy 
when  accuracy  is  required,  as  it  is  a  funda- 
mental principle  of  her  profession,  but  it  is 
well  for  her  to  know  also  that  it  is  not  ignored 
by  the  best  artists,  although  too  often  neg- 
lected by  pseudo-artists  who  pose  as  authority. 
In  these  days  of  practical  ideas  an  artist  en- 
hances his  commercial  value  and  does  not  lose 
caste  professionally  because  he  can  produce  a 
design  correct  in  drawing,  and,  if  occasion  re- 
quires, within  given  dimensions. 

It  is  well  to  remember  that  a  sharp  distinc- 
tion must  be  made  between  mechanical  or  in- 
strumental drawing  and  free-hand  drawing. 
One  is  as  valuable  as  the  other  in  its  own  place, 
and  it  is  no  more  creditable  to  be  an  expert  in 
free-hand  than  in  mechanical  drawing.  There 
are  occasions  when  the  free-hand  drawing  must 
be  as  accurate  as  the  instrumental  drawing, 
although  the  quality  of  the  required  lines  may 
be  quite  different  in  the  two  classes  of  work. 
Therefore  inasmuch  as  accuracy  must  be  ob- 
served when  it  is  called  for,  the  pupil  should 
be  required  to  know  what  it  means  and  how  to 
secure  it  if  necessary,  which  is  more  frequent 
than  the  practice  of  some  professional  artists 
would  seem  to  indicate. 

We  now  come  to  our  third  division  of  the 
subject,  free-hand  drawing,  which  is  the 
broadest  and  most  practical  for  school  instruc- 
tion and  may  be  encouraged  in  the  kindergarten 
as  an  aid  to  illustrative  drawing,  the  first  sec- 
tion in  our  division  of  the  subject.  If  the  boy 
can  draw  the  cube  and  cylinder  of  the  second 
gift  in  perspective  approximately  correct,  he 
has  the  fundamental  experience  for  many  of 
the  forms  in  his  future  work,  and  with  the 
addition  of  some  of  the  fifth-gift  forms  very 
many  of  the  principal  outlines  of  architectural 
construction  may  be  represented.  The  ac- 
companying sketches  suggest  some  of  the  ap- 
plications of  the  gift-block  forms  to  nature 
drawing. 

Figs.  161-165  represent  objects  embodying 
the  spherical  form  ;  Figs.  166-169  embody  the 
form  of  the    cube;    Figs.    170-177   illustrate 


modifications  of  the  cylinder;  Figs.  178-183 
represent  the  fourth  gift,  while  Figs.  184-186 
embody  the  triangular  prism  of  the  fifth  gift ; 
Figs.  178,183  and  184  may  be 
considered  a  combination  of  the 
fourth  and  fifth  gifts. 

It  is  neither  necessary  nor 
desirable  to  attempt  in  the  brief 
space  of  a  Kindergarten  Hand 
Book  to  make  further  sugges- 
tions in  this  line,  because  so 
many  simple  and  practical 
books  on  the  subject,  have  been 
published  which  apply  as  well 
to  the  higher  grades  of  the  kin- 
dergarten as  to  the  lower  school 
grades  for  which  they  were  writ- 
ten. Form  perception  and  man- 
ual training,  which  are  such 
prominent  features  in  the  kin- 
dergarten, are  the  chief  fac- 
tors in  correct  drawing,  and 
correct  drawing  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  good  art,  as  well  as  to  mechanical 
construction.  A  well-known  teacher  and  writer 
on  the  subject  of  art  instruction  has  said  : 
•  'The  geometric  figures  enter  into  the  subject  of 


Fie.   161. 


Fig.  162. 


Fig.   164.  Fig.   165. 

all  forms,  natural  and  artificial,  and  their  ap- 
plication is  of  absorbing  interest  when  traced 
through  object  and  ornament,  through  archi- 
tecture and  painting,  through  snow-flake  and 
crystal,  flower  and  fruit,  shell  and  insect,  and 


210 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.   171. 


Fig.   178. 


Fig.   179. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


211 


all  higher  forms  of  life.    These  should  be  illus-  some  ability  at  illustration  and  free-hand  draw- 

trated.  .  Working  drawings    of  cylinders  and  ing.     One  who  has  not  experienced  it   cannot 

cubes  are  but  the  beginning;  they  have  new  imagine  the  pleasure  of  being  able, even  though 

meaning  when  seen  as  the  first  types  which  pre-  quite  imperfectly,to  make  a  hasty  pencil  sketch 


mi!::::: 


Fig.   ISO. 


Fig.   184. 


Fig.   181. 


Fig.   182. 


Fig.    185. 


Fig.   183.  Fig.   186. 

figure  the  steam-cylinder,  the  railway  car,  the  for  future  reference.     A  series  of  note  sketch 

soldiers'  monument   and   the   mausoleum,  the  books  kept  for  years  become  a  constant  source 

Tower  of  Pisa  and  the  Grand  Opera  of  Paris."  of  pleasure   and  there  is  a  personality  in  the 

No  kindcrgartner  can  do  her  best  until  she  has  sketches  which  never  can  pertain  to  the  results 

a  good  knowledge  of  elementary  geometry  and  of  the  snap-shot  with  the  camera. 


THE  ELEVENTH  AND  TWELFTH  GIFTS. 

MATERIAL  FOR  PERFORATING  AND   EMBROIDERING.. 


It  is  claimed  by  us  that  all  occupation  ma- 
terial presented  by  Froebel,  in  the  Gifts  of  the 
Kindergarten,  are,  in  some  respects,  related  to 
each  other,  complementing  one  another.  What 
logical  connection  is  there  between  the  occu- 
pation of  perforating  and  embroidering,  intro- 
duced with  the  present  and  the  use  of  the  pre- 
viously introduced  Gifts  of  the  Kindergarten? 
This  question  may  be  asked  by  some  superficial 
enquirer.  Him  we  answer  thus  :  In  the  first 
Gifts  of  the  Kindergarten,  the  solid  mass  of 
bodies  prevailed ;  in  the  following  ones  the 
plane;  then  the  embodied  line  was  followed   by 


Steadiness  of  the  eye  and  hand  are  the  visible 
results  of  the  occupation  which  directly  pre- 
pares the  pupil  for  various  kinds  of  manual 
labor.  The  perforating,  accompanied  by  the 
use  of  the  needle  and  silk,  or  worsted,  in  the 
way  embroidery  is  done,  it  is  evident  in  what 
direction  the  faculty  of  the  pupil  may  be 
developed. 

The  method  pursued  with  this  occupation  is 
analogous  to  that  employed  in  the  drawing  de- 
partment Starting  from  the  single  point,  the 
child  is  gradually  led  through  all  the  various 
grades  of  difficulty  ;  and  from  step  to  step  his 


: 

j — | — 

Fig.  1. 
the  drawn  line,  and  the  occupation  here  intro- 
duced brings  us  down  to  the  paint.  With  the 
introduction  of  the  perforating  paper  and  prick- 
ing needle,  we  have  descended  to  the  smallest 
part  of  the  whole — the  extreme  limit  of  mathe- 
matical divisibility;  and  in  a  playing    manner, 


mtrt 


Fig.  4.  Fig.   5. 

interest  in  the  work  will  increase,  especially  as 
the  child  followed  us  unwittingly,  on  this,  in  an  the  various  colors  of  the  embroidered  figures 
abstract  sense,  difficult  journey.  add  much  to  their  liveliness,  as  do  the  colored 

pencils  in  the  drawing  department. 


1 

"It 

Fig.   2. 
The  material  for  these  occupations  is  a  piece 
of  net  paper,  which  is  placed  upon  some  layers 
of  soft  blotting  paper.     The   pricking  or  per- 
forating tool  is  a  rather  strong  sewing  needle, 


Fig.  6. 
The  child  first  pricks  vertical  lines  of  two  and 
three  lengths,  then  of  four  and  five  lengths, 
(Figs.  2  and  3) .  They  are  united  to  a  ti'iangle, 
opposites  and  forms  of  mediation  are  found, 
and  these  again  are  united  into  squares  with 
hollow  and  filled  middle,  (Figs.  4  and  5).  The 
horizontal  line  follows,    (Figs.  6-8),  then  the 


Fig.   3. 
fastened  in  a  holder  so  as  to  project  about  one 
fourth  of  an  inch.     Aim  of  the  occupation  is 
the  production  of  the  beautiful,  not  only  by  the 
child's  own  activity,  but  by  his  own  invention. 


combination  of 
right  angle  in 
positions,  (Figs 


Fig.  7. 
vertical  and  horizontal  to  a 
its  four  oppositionally  equal 
9-12).     The  combination  of 


the  four  elements  present  a  vast  number  of 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


213 


small  figures.  If  the  external  point  of  the 
angle  of  Figs.  9  and  10  touch  one  another,  the 
cross  (Fig.  13)  is  produced ;  if  the  end  points 
of  the  legs  of  these  figures  touch,  the  square 
is  made,  (Fig.  14).  By  repeatedly  uniting  Figs. 
9  and  12, Fig.  15  is  produced,  and  by  the  com- 
bination of  all  four  angles,  Figs.  16  and  17. 
According  to  the  rules  followed  in  laying   fig- 


Fig.  8. 


Fig.   9 


Fig.   10. 


In  a  similar  way,  the  oblique  line  is  now  in- 
troduced and  employed.  The  child  pricks  it 
in  various  directions,  commencing  with  a  one 
length  line,  (Figs.  32-35),  combines  it  to 
angles,  (Figs.  36-39),  the  combination  of 
which  will  again  result  in  many  beautiful  forms. 
Then  follows  the  perforating  of  oblique  lines 
of  from  two  to  five  lengths,  (a  single  length 
containing  up  to  seven  points),  which  are  em- 
ployed for  the  representation  of  borders,  cor- 
ner ornaments,  etc.,  (Figs.  42-45,  61).  The 
oblique  of  the  second  degree  is  also  introduced, 
as  shown  in  Figs.  46  and  47,  and  the  peculiar 
formations  in  Figs.  48-51. 

Finally,  the  combination  of  the  oblique  with 
the  vertical  line,  (Figs.  52  and  54),  and  with 
the  horizontal,  (Figs.  53  and  55 ) ,  or  with  both 
at  the  same  time,  (Figs.  56-60),  takes  place. 


e>                                                  *-  *&"     ■*•"" 

<" 

' 

1 

i 

■ 

■ 

i 

Fig.  15. 

Fig.  11.                         Fig.    12. 

■ 

i 

■ 

■ 

ii      ii 

4 

' 

i 

i 

1 1 

<  • 

i 

4 

i 

i 

I 

Fig.   16. 

Fig.   13. 


Fig.  14. 
ures  with  tablets  of  Gift  Seven,  and  in  draw- 
ing, or  by   a  simple  application  of  the  law  of 
opposites,  the  child  will  produce  a  large  num- 
ber of  other  figures. 

The  combination  of  lines  of  one  and  two 
lengths  is  then  introduced,  and  standing  and 
lying  oblongs  are  formed,  (Figs.  18  and  19), 
etc.  The  school  of  perforating,  per  se  has  to 
consider  still  simple  squares  and  lying  and 
standing  oblongs,  consisting  of  lines  of  from 
two  to  five  lengths.  In  order  not  to  repeat  the 
same  form  too  often,  we  introduce  in  Figs. 
21—31  a  series  less  simple ;  containing,  how- 
ever, the  fundamental  forms,  showing  in  the 
meantime  the  combination  of  lines  of  various 
dimensions. 


Fig.   17 


Fig.    18. 


Fig.   19.  Fig.   20. 

All  these  elements  may  be  combined  in  the 
most  manifold  manner,  and  the  inventive  ac- 
tivity of  the  pupil  will  find  a  large  field  in  pro- 


214 


QUARTER    CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.   21.  Fig.   22.  Fig.  23.  Fig.  24. 


sss 


sss 


Fig.    38. 


Fig.    39. 


Fig.  25. 


Fig.   26. 


Fig.   27.        Fig.   28.    Fig.   2!). 


Fig.  30.  Fig.  31. 


/ 

/ 

// 

/ 

/ 

/ 

c 

\ 

\ 

\ 

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\ 

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f 

Fig.   32. 


Fig.  33. 


1 

\ 

\ 

\ 

\ 

\ 

\ 

\ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

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smssmiK 


Fig.    40. 


Fig.  41. 


Fig.   42. 


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k 

/ 

N 

/ 

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/ 

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Fig.  43. 


Fis.    44. 


Fig.   34.                           Fig.  35. 

/ 

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X 

X 

/ 

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X 

K 

/ 

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— i 

/ 

X 

X 

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X 

>< 

/ 

X 

X 

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*/ 

X 

X 

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Fig.    36. 


Fig.    37. 


Fis:.  45. 


PARADISE  OF   CHILDHOOD. 


215 


m 


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s 


m 


Fig.    46. 


Fig.   48. 


Fig.   50. 


Fig.    51. 


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k 

k 

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Fig.    47 


Fi 

o' 

4 

9. 

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i 

xiY 

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XX 

ZX 

Fig.  54. 


zz 

Fig.    55. 


j 

:      x  xx 

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X    _ 

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Fig.    56. 


— U— 

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Fig.  57. 




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Fig.  58. 


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w 

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Fig.    52. 


Fig.    53. 


Fig.    59. 


216 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


during    samples    of     borders,     corner  pieces, 
frames,  reading  marks,  etc.,  etc. 

When  it  is  intended  to  produce  anything  of 
a  more  complicated  nature,  the  pattern  should 
be  drafted  by  pupil  or  teacher  upon  the  net 
paper  previous  to  pricking.  In  such  cases,  it 
is  advisable  and  productive  of  pleasure  to  the 
pupils,  if  beneath  the  perforating  paper  another 
one  doubly  folded  is  laid,  to  have  the  pattern 
transferred  by  perforation  upon  this  paper  in 
various  copies.      Such  little  productions  may 


Fig.  60. 
be  used  for  various  purposes,  and  be  presented 
by  the  children  to  their  friends  on  many  oc- 
casions. To  assist  the  pupils  in  this  respect, 
it  is  recommended  that  simple  drawings  be 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  pupils,  which,  owing 
to  their  little  ability,  they  certainly  could  not 
yet  produce  by  drawing,  but  which  they  can 
well  trace  with  their  perforating  tool.     These 


I 

Y( 

^^ 

Y 

*> 

'/( 

\^Y 

W 

$ 

n\s 

« 

s^// 

n\ 

Y 

S 

Y 

tt 

Y 

SS 

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£ 

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v< 

§ 

Y 

$ 

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Z( 

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/Ax 

§ 

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VVV 

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^VK\1 

^\. 

// 

Fig.  61. 
drawings  should  represent  objects  from  the  ani- 
mal and  vegetable  kingdoms,  and  may  thus 
be  of  great  sendee  to  the  mental  development 
of  the  children.  The  slowly  and  carefully  per- 
forated forms  and  figures  will  undoubtedly  be 
more  lastingly  impressed  upon  the  mind  and 
longer  retained  by  the  memory,  than  if  they 
were  only  described  or  hurriedly  looked  at.  It 
should  be  mentioned  that  the  embroidering 
does  not  begin  simultaneously  with  the  perfo- 
rating, but  only  after  the  children  have  ac- 
quired considerable  skill  in  the  last  named  oc- 
cupation.    For  purposes  of 


EMBROIDERING, 

The  same  net  paper  which  was  used  for  exer- 
cises in  perforating  may  be  employed,  by  fill- 
ing out  the  intervals  between  the  holes  with 
threads  of  colored  silk  or  worsted.  It  will  be 
sufficient  for  this  purpose  to  combine  the  points 
of  one  net  square  only,  because  otherwise  the 
stitches  would  become  too  short  to  be  made 
with  the  embroidery  needle  in  the  hands  of 
children  yet  unskilled.  For  work,  to  be  pre- 
pared for  a  special  purpose, the  perforated  pat- 
ern  should  be  transferred  upon  stiff  paper  or 
bristol-board. 


Fig.  62.  Fig.  63. 

Course  of  instruction  just  the  same  as  with 
perforating. 

Experience  will  show  that  of  the  figures 
given,  some  are  more  fit  for  perforating,  others 
better  adapted  for  embroidering.  Either  occu- 
pation leads  to  peculiar  results.  Figures  in 
which  strongly  rounded  lines  predominate  may 


Fig.    64. 
be  easily  perforated,  but  with  difficulty,  or  not 
at  all  be  embroidered.     By  the  process  of  em- 
broidering, however,  plain  forms,  as  stars,  and 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


217 


roettes,    are    easily    produced,   which   could  means    of  education — and  in  Froebel's    insti- 

hardly  be  represented,  or,  at  best,  very  imper-  tution  it  occupies  a  prominent  place — it  should 

fectly  only,  by  the  perforating  needle.      Figs,  approach  the  child  in  various  ways  ;   not  only 

62-67,  are  examples  of  this  kind.  inform,  but  in  color,  and  tone  also.  To  insure 

To  develop  the  sense  of  color  in  the  chil- 
dren, the  paper  on  which  they  embroider, 
should  be  of  all  the  various  shades   and  hues, 


Fig.  66. 
the  desired  result  in  this  direction,  we  begin  in 
the  Kindergarten,  where  we  can  much  more 
readily  make  impressions  upon  the  blank  mind 
of  children,  than  at  a  later  period  when  other 
influences  have  polluted  their  tastes. 


Fig.  65. 
through  the  whole  scale  of  colors.  If  the 
paper  is  gray,  blue,  black,  or  green,  let  the 
worsted  or  silk  be  of  a  rose  color,  white,  or- 
ange or  red,  and  if  the  pupil  is  far  enough  ad- 
vanced to  represent  objects  of  nature,  as  fruit, 
leaves,  plants,  or  animals,  it  will  be  very 
proper  to  use  in  embroidering,  the  colors  shown 
by  these  natural  objects.  Much  can  thereby  be 
accomplished  toward  an  early  development  of 
appreciation  and  knowledge  of  color,  in  which 
grown  people  in  all  countries  are  often  sadly 
deficient.  It  has  appeared  to  some,  as  if  this 
occupation  is  less  useful  than  pleasurable.  Let 
them  consider  that  the  ordinary  seeing  of  ob- 
jects already  is  a  difficult  matter,  nay,  really 
an  art,  needing  long  practice.  Much  more 
difficult  and  requiring  much  more  careful  exer- 
cise, is  a  true  and  correct  perception  of  color. 
If   the   beautiful   is  introduced   at   all   as   a 


Fig.   67. 

For  this  reason,  we  go  still  another  step 
further,  and  give  the  more  developed  pupil  a 
box  of  colors,  showing  him  their  use,  in  cover- 
ing the  perforated  outlines  of  objects  with  the 
paint.  Children  like  to  occupy  themselves  in 
this  manner,  and  show  an  increased  interest,  if 
they  first  produce  the  drawing  and  are  subse- 
quently allowed  to  use  the  brush  for  further 
beautifying  their  work. 

The  perforating  and  embroidering  are  begun 
with  the  children  in  the  Kindergarten  when  they 
have  become  sufficiently  prepared  for  the  per- 
fection of  forms  by  the  use  of  their  building 
blocks  and  sticks. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 

A  portion  of  the  foregoing  chapter  on  per-  very  close  together,  some  partially  and  others 

forating  and  embroidery  as  originally  printed  entirely  through  the  card,  so  as  to  produce  on 

has  been  omitted  from  this  edition,  because  it  the  opposite  side  a  design  in  relief.     This  line 

treated  of  a  class  of  "perforating"  which  is  not  of  work  has  been  quite  generally  discarded  by 

at  present  considered  desirable.     In  this  occu-  the  leading  kindergartners  of  this  country,  be- 

pation  a  multitude  of  perforations  are   made  cause  they  believe  that  it  is  neither  safe  nor 


218 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


profitable.  In  the  same  general  class  may  be 
included  the  perforating  of  outlines  by  makiug 
a  succession  of  holes  very  close  together  with- 
out the  intention  of  subsequent  sewing ;  and 
also  such  designs  for  sewing  as  involve  intri- 
cate patterns  with  very  short  stitches.  Neither 
is  the  pricking  of  holes  with  exactness  at  the 
printed  dots  or  at  the  crossing  of  lines  on  net- 
ted paper  believed  to  be  good  practice  for 
small  fingers  and  young  eyes,  and  when  many 
of  these  are  quite  near  together  the  whole  oc- 
cupation is  not  to  be  encouraged.  On  the 
other  hand  such  condemnation  of  cardboard 
sewing  of  all  kinds  for  the  children  as  lias  em- 
anated from  some  sources  indicates  a  reac- 
tion as  unreasonable  as  was  the  sanction  of 
the  most  extreme  practice  of  the  raised  sur- 
face perforating. 

But  this  criticism  of  fine  perforating  has  been 
of  great  value, because  it  has  brought  into  gen- 
eral use  for  the  youngest  children  a  series  of 
ready-pricked  cards  in  simple  designs  with  large 
holes,  long  stitches,  and  coarse  needles  and 
thread.  For  earliest  sewing,  such  designs  on 
small  cards  not  more  than  four  by  five  inches 
in  size  are  most  suitable,  and  in  order  to  se- 
cure holes  large  enough  for  the  large  needles  and 
coarse  thread  required  at  this  stage  it  seems 
quite  desirable  that  each  perforation  be  made 
by  punching  out  a  minute  disk  of  the  card,  thus 
producing  a  smooth,  round  hole  of  suitable  size 
to  be  easily  seen  on  both  sides  of  the  card  and 
to  receive  the  thread  without  wear  and  unnec- 
essary friction. 

The  following  figures  represent  a  series  of  such 
cards,  which  are  technically  called  "Perfor- 
ated Cards, "in  distinction  from  Pricked  Cards, 
which  are  punctured  with  pointed  needles. 
These  cards  retain  their  numbers  as  found  in  the 
catalogue  of  Bradley's  kindergarten  material. 


ri 


DDDD 
□  □□□ 


\\w\w 


/////// 
/////// 
/////// 


19  20  21 

Nos.  1,  2,  3,  10,  11,  etc.,  to  21,  show  the 
principal  or  first  intention  of  the  several  ar- 
rangements of  holes  in  these  cards,  and  la, 
lb,  lc,  2a,  2b,  2c,  etc.,  represent  some  of  the 
modifications  or  inventions  which  may  be  sewed 
with  the  cards. 


la 


lb 


lc 


Id 


le 


It 


2a 


2b 


2c 


10 


11 


12 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


219 


12b 


12c 


13a 


A 

\ 

\ 

/ 

13  b 


13c 


rem 


J 

X 

ft* 

4 

Hb 


lie 


15a 


M 

151) 


15c 


16a 


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As  perforated  holes  are  alike  on  both  sides 
of  the  card  one  arrangement  of  holes  will  often 
make  right  and  left-handed  designs  by  revers- 
ing the  card. 

Owing  to  the  methods  involved  in  the  manu- 
facture of  the  "-perforated  cards"  the  ordinary 
"pricked  cards"  can  be  made  in  a  greater  va- 
riety of  patterns,  and  for  children  other  than 
the  youngest  in  the  kindergarten  they  are  more 
interesting  and  can  be  sewed  by  them  without 
difficulty  with  the  finer  needle  and  thread. 

The  following  figures  illustrate  a  selection 
from  a  much  greater  variety  now  in  the  market. 


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220 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


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For  still  older  children  a  moderate  amount 
of  perforating  with  the  pricking  needle  at  dots 
on  a  printed  outline  is  not  only  harmless  but 
fascinating  in  a  marked   degree. 

In  this  class  of  work  a  much  wider  range  of 
designs  extending  into  life  forms  can  be  intro- 
duced, because  of  the  difference  in  process  in 
the  manufacture  of  cards  which  are  for  sale 
for  this  purpose. 


20 


192 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


221 


Also  in  this  work  original  designs  may  be  of  the  grade  of  work  to  the  age  and  condition 
prepared  by  the  teacher  or  even  by  the  pupils  as  of  each  child  must  be  left  to  the  judgment  of 
they  may  be  traced  from  prints  and  transferred    the  trained  kindergartner,  and  fortunately  this 


to  cards  by  the  use  of  impression  paper 

The  foregoing  figures  show  examples  of  this 
class  of  designs. 

In  cardboard  pricking  and  sewing  as  in  all    schools  in  this  country 
other  kindergarten  occupations  the  adjustment 

ELEMENTARY    COLOR    TEACHING. 


may  safely  be  trusted  to  the  corps  of  compe- 
tent teachers  now  in  the  work  and  to  those  be- 
ing  prepared    by    the     normal    kindergarten 


The  educational  phase  of  color  has  assumed 
such  importance  within  the  past  decade  that  it 
must  receive  more  than  passing  notice  in  any 
treatise  on  the  kindergarten  gifts  and  occupa- 
tions, taken  as  a  whole.  As  the  color  ques- 
tion presents  itself  quite  prominently  in  the 
selection  of  the  threads  for  embroidering  and 
still  more  in  the  use  of  colored  papers,  the 
editor  feels  that  this  is  the  proper  place  to 
introduce  certain  special  suggestions  on  that 
subject. 

There  is  a  fascination  about  the  study  of 
color  which  increases  as  we  become  more  and 
more  familiar  with  the  subject.  We  meet  it  at 
every  turn  in  the  natural  world.  It  makes  the 
loftiest  hilltops  radiant  in  early  morning  and 
paints  its  hues  in  wondrous  brilliancy  on  the 
evening  sky. 

Art  revels  in  color,  and  praise  as  we  may 
the  chisel  of  the  sculptor  and  the  cunning  of 
the  engraver,  we  find  only  cool  comfort  in 
colorless  art.  Consequently  we  are  always 
seeking  the  best  color  effects.  We  want  them 
in  the  arrangement  of  our  lawns,  the  decora- 
tion of  our  houses,  both  within  and  without, 
in  our  clothing,  in  public  and  private,  wher- 
ever we  admit  color.  Indeed  a  knowledge  of 
color  and  its  skillful  use  in  all  the  affairs  of 
life  ministers  more  effectively  to  our  best  equip- 
ment and  our  enjoyment  than  does  a  knowl- 
edge of  form.  Nevertheless  all  attempts  to 
place  color  study  on  a  practical  footing  have 
failed  until  recently,  because  of  the  universal 
opinion  among  artists  that  art  in  color  would 
be  degraded  by  contact  with  scientific  truths. 

And  yet  from  Euclid  down  to  the  present 
generation  of  students  the  mathematicians  have 
been  occupied  in  discovering  and  perfecting 
instruments  and  a  language  of  form  by  which 
the  graceful  outlines  of  architecture  and  orna- 
ment may  be  analyzed  and  recorded.  But  those 
wdio  have  labored  in  the  kingdom  of  color  have 
found  it  as  impossible  to  accurately  describe 
any  given  hue  or  tone  of  color  in  an  accepted 


nomenclature  as  it  was  when  the  Queen  of 
Sheba  brought  her  royal  gifts  to  Solomon. 
When  Frcebel  prepared  his  material  for  the 
kindergarten,  color  was  for  the  first  time  in- 
troduced into  a  system  of  elementary  instruc- 
tion disconnected  from  drawing  and  painting, 
and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  only  system 
by  which  colors  can  now  be  intelligently  desig- 
nated without  actual  samples  was  originated 
and  developed  in  response  to  the  demands  of  the 
kindergartners  of  America  for  better  material. 

In  the  kindergarten  material  first  imported 
from  Germany  to  the  United  States  the  first- 
gift  balls  were  fairly  good  examples  of  red, 
orange,  yellow,  green,  blue  and  purple  or  vio- 
let. But  the  colored  papers  used  in  the  occu- 
pation material  of  that  time  were  selected  with- 
out order,  scientific  knowledge  or  fine  color 
perceptions.  The  result  was  that  the  Ameri- 
can kindergartners  began  to  complain  of  the 
colors  found  in  the  papers  and  to  suggest 
other  colors  either  in  addition  to  those  in 
use  or  in  place  of  them.  While  many  colors 
already  in  the  market  were  added  and  some 
made  to  order  in  response  to  such  criticisms 
and  requests,  no  material  advance  was  made 
in  producing  a  logical  assortment  of  colors  in 
the  papers  for  a  number  of  years.  But  the 
difficulties  thus  early  encountered  induced  the 
editor  of  these  notes  to  begin  a  series  of 
experiments  which  has  resulted,  by  the  aid  and 
cordial  co-operation  of  many  of  his  friends 
among  scientists,  artists  and  kindergartners, 
in  the  scheme  of  color  instruction  now  known 
as  the  Bradley  System  of  Color  Education. 
As  this  is  quite  fully  set  forth  in  other  publi- 
cations it  is  unnecessary  to  use  sufficient  space 
here  to  explain  it  in  detail,  and  therefore  only 
a  brief  outline  of  the  fundamental  principles 
on  which  it  is  based  is  presented. 

In  form,  the  constant  companion  of  color 
in  material  objects,  we  have  the  foot  or  me- 
ter by  which  we  measure  lengths  and  breadths, 
and  the  divided  circle  by  which  the  directions 


222 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


of  lines  may  be  noted,  and  with  these  two  ac- 
cepted standards  of  measurements  all  surfaces 
and  solids  can  be  described.  If  all  material 
forms  were  destroyed  to-day  any  one  of  them 
could  be  reconstructed  from  suitable  records 
preservedin  terms  of  these  standards,  but  this 
has  not  been  true  regarding  color, because  of  the 
lack  of  standards  and  means  for  measuring  and 
recording  color  effects.  In  the  solar  spectrum 
we  have  the  only  known  source  to  which  we  may 
look  for  permanent  standards  of  color.  In 
music  we  have  certain  standards  of  tones  and  a 
language  accepted  by  general  agreement  which 
render  it  possible  to  transmit  musical  composi- 
tions from  one  country  to  another  and  from 
generation  to  generation.  Every  tone  produced 
b}T  a  musical  instrument  is  due  to  a  given  num- 
ber of  vibrations  or  waves  in  some  substance, 
which  vibrations  are  ordinarily  conveyed  to  the 
ear  by  waves  in  the  air;  and  by  a  record  of 
these  tones  in  terms  of  their  vibrations  musical 
compositions  are  transmitted  from  age  to  age. 

It  is  supposed  that  light  and  color  are  trans- 
mitted by  vibrations  or  waves  in  an  unknown 
something  which  we  call  ether  and  that  differ- 
ent wave  lengths  produce  various  effects  in 
the  eye  which  are  conveyed  to  the  brain  as 
colors.  Therefore  when  we  select  in  the  solar 
spectrum  certain  standards  of  color  and  de- 
termine the  wave  length  of  each,  we  have  a 
scries  of  definitely  located  "Spectrum  Stand- 
ards "  which  are  absolutely  permanent.  If  we 
then  produce  the  best  possible  imitation  of 
these  colors  in  pigments  or  other  substances, 
we  shall  have  standard  Material  Colors.  The 
Material  Colors  will  be  very  inferior  to  the 
Spectrum  Colors  in"  purity  and  brilliancy,  but 
if  they  are  to  be  used  as  standards  each  must 
be  the  same  kind  of  color  as  the  Spectrum 
Color  which  it  represents ;  for  instance,  the 
"  orange  "  must  be  neither  more  red  nor  more 
yellow  than  the  location  in  the  spectrum  which 
has  been  accepted  as  the  standard  orange. 
The  training  and  habits  of  a  good  kindergart- 
ner  will  especially  enable  her  to  appreciate 
this  necessity  for  exact  standards  in  a  color 
nomenclature  as  much  as  in  form  study. 

For  example,  the  third-gift  cube  is  a  solid 
which  has  six  plane  faces,  each  of  which  is  a 
quadrilateral  having  four  right  angles  and  four 
straight  sides,  each  one  inch  long.  Therefore 
a  somewhat  similar  solid  in  which  the  angles 
are  not  right  angles  and  the  sides  are  unequal 


is  not  a  cube.  So  it  is  necessary  that  there  be 
definite  terms  regarding  color  in  which  accu- 
rate statements  can  be  made  and  recorded 
before  there  can  be  any  language  on  which  to 
base  intelligent  discussion  regarding  the  ques- 
tions involved  in  the  consideration  of  color 
and  its  best  uses.  The  Bradley  Color  Scheme 
is  based  on  the  determination  of  these  stand- 
ards in  the  solar  spectrum  and  the  best  mate- 
rial imitations  of  them  to  serve  as  Pigmentary 
Standards. 

Having  selected  these  pigmentary  or  mate- 
rial standards  there  must  be  secured  some 
means  by  which  they  can  be  combined  in  defi- 
nitely expressed  proportions  to  produce  all 
other  colors,  so  that  we  may  have  an  exact 
but  simple  and  easily-understood  nomencla- 
ture. There  is  but  one  device  known  at 
present  which  fulfills  these  conditions,  and 
that  is  the  "  Maxwell  Disks."  If  a  live  coal 
on  the  end  of  a  stick  is  rapidly  whirled  in  a 
circle,  a  ring  of  light  is  seen,  because  the 
light-impression  which  is  made  on  the  retina 
of  the  eye  remains  fixed  while  the  stick  is 
moving  through  an  entire  circle.  On  this 
principle,  if  a  disk  of  cardboard  is  divided  by 
a  diameter  and  one  of  the  semi-circles  covered 
with  white  paper  and  the  other  with  black 
paper,  and  the  disk  rapidly  whirled  on  a  pin  at 
its  center,  the  two  half  circles  will  no  longer 
appear  as  distinctively  white  and  black,  but 
the  whole  surface  will  assume  a  uniform  gray 
color.  If  the  amount  of  White  surface  is  in- 
creased to  three  quarters  of  the  whole  the 
gray  will  be  much  lighter,  and  if  the  black 
is  increased  the  resulting  color  will  be  darker. 
So,  also,  if  instead  of  the  white  and  black 
semi-circles  two  standard  colors,  as  red  and 
orange,  are  combined  in  the  same  way,  a 
new  color  between  red  and  orange  will  result. 

As  it  is  quite  inconvenient  to  paste  up  a  col- 
ored disk  for  each  experiment,  a  celebrated 
English  scientist  named  Maxwell  conceived 
the  idea  of  slitting  each  of  two  disks,  from 
circumference  to  center,  so  that  they  could 
be  joined,  and  by  a  movement  on  each  other 
around  the  common  center  made  to  show  any 
required  amount  of  the  surface  of  each.  If 
two  disks  are  joined  in  this  way  and  laid  on 
to  a  slightly-larger  disk  which  is  divided  at 
the  circumference  into  one  hundred  parts  the 
amount  of  surface  of  each  color  which  is  ex- 
posed may  be  measured  and  recorded.      Tims 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


223 


if  the  red  and  orange  disks  are  joined  so  as  to 
show  three  quarters  red  and  one  quarter 
orange,  the  color  resulting  by  rotation  would 
be  recorded  as  Red  75,  Orange  25,  or  using 
the  initials  of  the  colors,  R.  75,  O.  25, 
which  becomes  the  definite  symbol  of  that  par- 
ticular orange  hue  of  red.  This  brief  expla- 
nation may  serve  to  convey  an  idea  of  the 
scope  of  such  a  system  of  color  study. 

On  this  scientific  foundation  a  line  of  colored 
papers  has  been  prepared  for  the  kindergarten. 
In  the  spectrum  colors  of  the  educational 
papers  two  hues  between  each  two  standards 
are  provided,  making  eighteen  of  these  full 
spectrum  colors.  If  a  color  is  in  strong  sun- 
light it  becomes  much  lighter  and  is  a  tint  of 
the  color ;  if  in  shadow  it  is  darker  and  is 
called  a  shade.  These  two  effects  may  be 
secured  with  the  rotating  disks  by  using  a  white 
disk  with  the  color  disk  for  the  tints,  and  a 
black  disk  with  the  color  for  the  shades. 

Thus  these  papers  furnish  a  systematic  line 
of  scales  or  families  of  colors  for  color  instruc- 
tion. A  line  of  grays  and  another  of  broken 
or  gray  colors  is  added,  so  that  there  is  no 
reasonable  demand  in  primary  education  for 
other  colors  in  papers.  For  class  instruction 
the  color  wheel  or  color  mixer  is  very  valuable, 
but  if  such  apparatus  is  not  available  a  sim- 
ple modification  of  the  larger  apparatus  in  the 
form  of  a  color-top  furnishes  much  instruction 
and  amusement. 

Some  educators  who  have  not  fully  under- 
stood this  subject  have  believed  that  the  color- 
wheel  and  color  top  are  too  advanced  in 
scientific  principles  to  be  profitable  in  the 
primary  school  grades,  and  necessarily  from 
the  same  standpoint  much  less  useful  in  the 
kindergarten.  But  actual  test  is  better  than 
theories,  and  a  large  number  of  kindergart- 
ners  are  already  prepared  to  certify  to  the 
great  value  of  the  color  wheel  and  color  tops 
in  their  work.  The  following  is  but  a  simple 
illustration  of  many  lines  in  which  color  in- 
struction can  be  imparted  and  color  intei'est 
excited.  In  one  of  our  large  public  kinder- 
gartens, as  the  teacher  entered  the  room  one 
morning,  she  saw  an  admiring  group  of  chil- 
dren gathered  around  Bessie,  whom  she  noticed 
had  on  a  new  dress.  As  the  kindergartner 
approached,  one  child  exclaimed  excitedly, 
"  See  what  a  pretty  dress  Bessie  has  on. 
What  color  is  it?"     After  various  guesses, 


many  of  which  were  somewhat  wild,  as  it  was 
early  in  the  year,  some  one  made  a  reasonably 
good  guess,  and  the  teacher  said,  "  Let  us  see 
what  the  color-wheel  says.  If  Bessie  will  come 
and  stand  by  it  we  will  see  if  we  can  make  a 
color  like  her  dress  by  whirling  the  color 
disks." 

The  children  were  interested  at  once, 
and  as  Bessie  stood  by  the  color  wheel,  they 
were  allowed  to  suggest  their  objections  to 
the  color  made  by  the  rotating  disks.  Mary 
said  that  it  was  too  blue,  and  after  a  change 
had  been  made,  Willie  thought  it  was  too 
green  ;  but  at  last  a  good  result  was  obtained, 
as  the  happy  exclamations  of  the  little  ones 
testified,  and  as  the  disks  ceased  rotating  a 
complete  chart  of  the  true  color  was  before  the 
children.  If  a  color  wheel  is  not  available 
the  same  exercises  may  be  tried  with  a  color 
top. 

In  many  of  the  gifts  and  occupations  of  the 
kindergarten,  color  is  prominent,  but  it  is 
specially  so  in  all  the  work  in  papers.  If  col- 
ored papers  are  to  be  used  they  should  not 
only  be  selected  so  as  to  do  no  harm,  but  the 
Modern  Educational  Colored  Papers  may  be  so 
used  as  to  afford  much  iustruction  at  the  same 
time  that  manual  exercises  are  being  enjoyed. 

With  colored  papers,  in  the  established 
standards  and  their  modifications  in  their  hues 
and  tones,  the  kindergartners  and  primary 
school  teachers  are  well  equipped  for  color 
teaching,  but  with  the  addition  of  a  color  wheel 
or  color  mixer  and  a  few  color  charts,  which 
can  be  made  from  the  paper  at  small  cost, 
color  teaching  becomes  simply  a  recreation  to 
both  teacher  and  pupils.  The  fact  that  there 
is  so  much  color  material  used  in  the  kinder- 
garten insures  constant  attention  on  the  part 
of  the  children,  and  where  there  is  interested 
attention  there  is  rapid  advance,  so  a  child 
that  has  had  two  years  in  a  true  kinder- 
garten and  one  year  in  a  connecting  school 
will  require  very  little  more  of  colored  papers, 
blocks  and  sticks  of  any  kind,  but  will  be  amply 
able  to  proceed  with  the  more  abstract  consid- 
eration of  subjects  brought  to  his  attention. 
It  is  not  expedient  to  present  the  subject  of 
color  teaching  in  detail  within  the  reasonable 
limits  of  this  book,  and  hence  the  editor  ven- 
tures to  note  the  contents  of  two  books  which 
he  has  prepared  to  explain  his  system  of  color 
instruction. 


224 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


"Color  in  the  Kindergarten,"  is  a  book 
of  about  sixty  pages  in  paper  covers  which 
gives  a  somewhat  detailed  statement  of  the 
subject,  under  two  principal  heads :  First, 
"The  Theory  of  Color,"  and  second,  "Color 
Materials  in  the  Kindergarten."  In  the  first 
of  these  divisions  the  following  sub-heads 
occur  :  The  Theory  of  Sir  David  Brewster ; 
The  Young-He lmholtz  Theory;  The  Stand- 
ards must  be  Chosen  from  the  Solar  Spec- 
trum ;  The  Use  of  the  Color  AVheel ;  The 
Old  Theories  Tested  by  the  Wheel ;  Concern- 
ing the  Complementary  Colors  ;  How  to  Secure 
a  Color  Nomenclature ;  Tints  and  Shades ; 
Scales  of  Color  ;  Classification  of  Harmonies  ; 
Broken  Colors  ;  The  So-called  Tertiary  Colors  ; 
How  the  Grays  are  Classified  ;  Simultaneous 
Contrast ;  A  Review  of  the  Bradley  Color 
Scheme  ;  Some  Color  Definitions.  The  second 
section,  Color  Material,  contains  the  following 
divisions  :  The  Prismatic  Spectrum  ;  The  Col- 
ored Papers  ;  The  Rainy  Day  Spectrum  ;  Value 
of  the  Color  Wheel ;  Spectrum  Hues  ;  Tints  and 
Shades  of  Hues;  The  First  Gift;  Sewing; 
Weaving  ;  Intertwining  ;  Parquetry  ;  Paper 
Cutting  ;  Paper  Folding  ;  Concerning  Water 
Colors  ;  Color  Blindness. 

A  book  entitled  "  Elementary  Color  "  con- 
tains one  hundred  and  thirty  pages  freely  illus- 
trated and  a  miniature  color  chart  in  pasted 
papers  showing  "Pure  Spectrum  .Scales  "and 
"Broken  Spectrum  Scales."  This  has  an 
introduction  by  Prof.  Henry  Lefavour  of  Wil- 
liams College   and  completely  sets  forth  the 


Bradley  system  of  color  instruction  under  the 
following  principal  heads :  The  Theory  of 
Color ;  Color  Definitions ;  Practical  Experi- 
ments Illustrating  the  Theory  of  Color ;  Color 
Teaching  in  the  Schoolroom  ;  Outline  of  Course 
in  Color  Instruction. 

Under  this  last  head  the  following  divisions 
are  very  briefly  treated  :  The  Solar  Spectrum  ; 
Pigmentary  Spectrum  Colors ;  Study  of 
Tones ;  Broken  Colors ;  Complete  Chart  of 
Pure  Spectrum  Scales  in  Five  Tones ;  Ad- 
vanced Study  of  Harmonies. 

This  sytem  of  color  instruction  has  been 
criticised  as  mechanical,  scientific  and  inartistic 
by  many  artists  of  reputation  who  seem  to  agree 
that  because  definite  formulas  cannot  be  given 
for  producing  works  of  the  highest  rank  in  art 
all  standards  and  facts  regarding  color  are  de- 
basing to  the  artistic  instincts.  If  this  claim 
is  admitted  to  be  sound  in  regard  to  color  may 
we  not  also  urge  that  the  study  of  geometry 
is  to  be  ignored  because  of  its  degrading  effect 
on  art  in  form,  and  that  Euglish  grammar  is 
out  of  date  because  it  is  not  especially  condu- 
cive to  highest  flights  in  poetry  ?  But  it  is 
the  belief  of  one  who  has  known  the  kinder- 
gartners  of  America  intimately  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century  that  they  will  not  disparage  the 
value  of  the  exact  and  methodical  elements 
that  are  introduced  by  this  color  scheme  into 
a  most  important  feature  of  elementary  work, 
in  place  of  the  entirely  indefinite  methods  of 
the  past. 


THE  THIRTEENTH  GIFT. 

MATERIAL  FOR    CUTTING  PAPER   AND    MOUNTING    PIECES  TO  PRODUCE 

FIGURES    AND   FORMS. 


The  labor,  or  occupation  alphabet  presented 
by  Froebel  in  his  system  of  education,  cannot 
spare  the  occupation,  now  introduced — the  cut- 
ting of  paper — the  transmutation  of  the  ma- 
terial by  division  of  its  parts,  notwithstand- 
ing the  many  apparently  well-founded  doubts, 
whether  scissors  should  be  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  child  at  such  an  early  age.  It  will 
be  well  for  such  doubters  to  consider  :  Firstly, 
that  the  scissors  which  the  children  use 
have  no  sharp  points,  but  are  rounded  at 
their  ends,  by  which  the  possibilities  of  doing 
harm  with  them  are  greatly  reduced.  Secondly, 
it  is  expected  that  the  teacher  employs  all  pos- 
sible means  to  watch  and  superintend  the  chil- 
dren with  the  utmost  care  during  their  occu- 
pation with  the  scissors.  Thirdly,  as  it  can 
never    be  prevented,  that,  at  least,  at  times 


the  child  produces,  by  cuttiug  according  to 
certain  laws,  highly  interesting  and  beautiful 
forms,  their  desire  of  destroying  with  the  scis- 
sors will  soon  die  out,  and  they,  as  well  as 
their  parents,  will  be  spared  many  an  unpleas- 
ant experience,  incident  upon  this  childish  in- 
stinct, if  it  were  left  entirely  unguided. 


Fig.   7. 


Fig.   8. 


Fig.  1. 


Fig.  2. 


;  i 


Fig.  3. 


Fig.  4. 


Fig.  9.  Fig.  10. 

As  material  for  the  cutting,  we  employ  a 
square  piece  of  paper  of  the  size  of  one-six- 
teenth sheet,  similar  to  the  folding  sheet.  Such 
a  sheet  is  broken  diagonally,  the  right  acute 
angle  placed  upon  the  left,  so  as  to  produce 
four  triangles  resting  one  upon  another.  Re- 
peating the  same  proceeding,  so  that  by  so  do- 
ing the  two  upper  triangles  will  be  folded  up- 
wards, the  lower  ones  downwards  in  the  halv- 
ing line,  eight  triangles  resting  one  upon  an- 
other, will  be  produced,  which  we  use  as  our 


Fig.  5.  Fig.  6. 

scissors,  knives  and  similar  dangerous  objects 
may  fall  into  the  hands  of  children,  it  is  of 
great  importance  to  accustom  them  to  such, 
by  a  regular  course  of  instruction  in  their  use, 
which,  it  may  be  expected,  will  certainly  do 
something  to  prevent  them  from  illegitimately 
applying  them  for  mischievous  purposes. 
By  placing  material  before  them  from  which 


Fig.  13.  Fig.  14. 

first  fundamental    form.       This  fundamented 

form  is  held,   in  all  exercises,  so  that  the  open 


226 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


side,  where  no  plane  connects  with  another  is  al- 
ways turned  toward  the  left. 

In  order  to  accomplish  a  sufficient  exactness 
in  cutting,  the  uppermost  triangle  contains, 
(or  if  it  does  not,  is  to  be  provided  with)  a 
kind  of  net  as  a  guide  in  cutting.  Dotted 
lines  on  the  figures  indicate  this  net  work. 


The  following  selection  presents,  almost  al- 
ways, two  opposites  and  their  combination,  or 
leaves  out  one  of  the  former,  as  is  the  case 
with  the  horizontal  cut,  wherever  it  does  not 
produce  anything  essentially  new. 


s\      :   ^ 

\ 

A  \    ■    \ 

\   !\ 

Fig.  25. 


Fig.  26. 


Fig.  15. 


Fig.  16. 


Fig.  17. 


Fig.  18. 


Fig.  27.  Fig.  28. 

a.  Vertical  cuts,  Figs.  2,  3,  4-5,  6,  7. 

b.  Horizontal    cuts,    Figs.  8,    9 — (above, 
and  below) . 

c.  Vertical  and  horizontal,  Figs.   18,   19, 
20—21,  22,  23. 

d.  Oblique  cuts,  Figs.  34,  35—36,  37,  38. 

e.  Oblique  and  vertical,  Figs.  51,  52,  53, 
—54,  55,  56,-58,  59,  60. 


Fi.  19. 


Fig.  20 


Fig.  21.  Fig.  22. 

The  activity  itself  is  regulated  according  to 
the  law  of  opposites.  We  commence  with  the 
vertical  cut,  come  to  its  opposite,  the  horizon- 
tal and  finally  to  the  mediation  of  both,  the 
oblique. 


Fig.  33.  Fig.  34. 

Fig.  23.                             Fig.  24.  /.     Oblique  and  horizontal,  Figs.  65,  66,  67. 

Figs.  1-132  indicate  the  abundance  of  cuts  g.     Half  oblong  cuts,  where  the  diagonals 

which    may    be    developed  according  to  this  of  standing  and  lying  oblongs,  formed  of  two 

method,  and  it  is  advisable  to  arrange  for  the  net  squai-es  serve  as  guides — Figs.  117,  118, 

child  a  selection  of  the  simpler  elements  into  a  119—121,  122,  123—125,  126,  127. 

school  of  cutting.  rflere  ends  the  school  of  cutting,  per  se,  for 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


227 


the  first  fundamental  form,  the  right-angled 
triangle.  The  given  elements  may  be  com- 
bined in  the  most  manifold  manner,  as  this 
has  been  sufficiently  carried  out  in  the  forms 
given. 

The  fundamental  form  used  for  Figs.    133- 
KJ7  is  a  sixfold  equilateral  /finagle.     It  also  is 


and  patterns  from  Figs.  133—145,  will  suffice 
for  this  purpose.  The  same  fundamental  form 
is  used  for  practicing  and  performing  the  cir- 
cular cuts,  although  the  right  angular  funda- 


Fig.  35. 


Fig.   37.  Fig.  38. 

produced  from  the  folding  sheet,  by  breaking 
it  diagonally,  halving  the  middle  of  the  diag- 
onal, dividing  again  in  three  equal  parts  the  jrjo-.  47. 
angle  situated  on  this  point  of  halving.  The 
angles  thus  produced  will  be  angles  of  sixty 
degrees.  The  leaf  is  folded  in  the  legs  of  these 
angles  by  bending  the  one  acute  angle  of  the 
original  triangle  upwards,  the  other  downwrards. 
By  cutting  the  protruding  corners,  we  shall 
have  the  desired  form  of  the  six  fold  equilateral  Fig.  49. 
triangle,  in  which  the  entirely  open  side  serves 


Fig.  48. 


Fig.  50. 


Fig.  39. 


Fig.  40. 


Fig.  41.  Fig.  42. 

as  basis  of  the  triangle.  The  net  for  guidance 
is  formed  by  division  of  each  side  in  four  equal 
parts,  uniting  the  points  of  division  of  the  base, 
by  parallel  lines  with  the  sides,  and  drawing  of 
a  vertical  from  the  upper  point  of  the  triangle 
upon  its  base.  It  is  the  oblique  line,  particu- 
larly which  is  introduced  here.     The  designs 


Fig.  51.  Fig.    52. 

mental  form  may  be  used  for  the  same  purpose. 
Both  find  their  application  subsequently,  in  a 
sphere  of  development  only,  after  the  child  by 
means  of  the  use  of  the  half  and  whole  rings, 
and  drawing,  has  become  more  familiar  with 
the  curved  line.  These  exercises  require  great 
facility  in  handling  the  scissors  besides,  and 
are,  therefore,  only  to  be  introduced  with  chil- 
dren who  have  been  occupied  in  this  depart- 
ment quite  a  while.  For  such  it  is  a  capital 
employment,  and  they  will  find  a  rich  field  for 
operation,  and  produce  many  an  interest- 
ing and  beautiful  form  in  connection  with  it. 
The  course  of  development  is  indicated  in 
Figs.   163-lf>7. 


228 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  53. 


Fig.  54. 


Fig.  55. 


Fie:.  56. 


Fig.  57 


Fig.  58. 


Fig.  59. 


Fig.  60. 


Fig.  61. 


Fig.  62. 


Fig.  63. 


Fig.  64. 


Fig.  65. 


Fig.  66. 


Fig.  67 


Fig.  68. 


Fig.  69. 


Fig.  70. 


Fig.  71, 


Fig.  72. 


/\     V  /\. 


Fig.  73. 


Fig.  74. 


Fig.  75. 


Fig.  76. 


PARADISE  OF   CHILDHOOD. 


229 


Fig.  81. 


Fig.  82. 


Fig.  83. 


Fig.  84. 


Fig.  93. 


Fig.  94. 


Fig.  95. 


Fig.  96. 


Fig.  97 


Fig.  98. 


Fig.  [)[). 


Fig.  100. 


Fig.  101. 


Fig.  102. 


Fig.  103. 


Fig.  104. 


Fig.  105. 


Fig.  106. 


Fig.  107. 


Fig.  108. 


230 


QUARTER    CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  109. 


Fig.  110. 


Fig.  111. 


Fig.  112. 


Fig.  113. 


Fig.  114. 


Fig.  115. 


Fig.  116. 


Fig.  117 


Fig.  118. 


Fig.  119. 


Fig.  120. 


Fig.  121. 


Fig.  122. 


Fig.  123. 


Fig.  124. 


Fig.  125. 


Fig.  126. 


Fig.  127. 


Fig.  128. 


Fig.  129. 


Fig.  130. 


Fig.  131. 


Fig.  132. 


Fig.  133. 


Fig.  134. 


Fig.  135. 


Fig.  136. 


Fig.  137. 


PARADISE  OF    CHILDHOOD. 


231 


Fig.  138. 


Fig.   139. 


Fig.  140. 


Fie.  141. 


Fig.  142. 


Fig.  143. 


Fig.  144. 


Fig.  145. 


Fig.  146. 


Fig.  147. 


Fig.  148. 


Fig.  149. 


Fig.  150. 


Fig.  151. 


Fig.  152. 


Fig.  153. 


Fig.  154. 


Fig.  155. 


Fig.  156. 


Fig.  157. 


Fig.  158. 


Fig.  159 


Fig.  160. 


Fig.  161. 


Fig.  162. 


Fig.  163. 


Fig.  164. 


Fig.  165 


Fig.  166. 


Fig.   167, 


232 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


After  the  child  has  been  sufficiently  intro- 
duced into  the  cutting  school,  in  the  manner 
indicated,  after  his  fantasy  has  found  a  defi- 
nite guidance  in  the  ever-repeated  application  of 
the  law,  which  protects  him  against  unbounded 
option  and  choice,  it  will  be  an  easy  task  to 
him,  and  a  profitable  one  to  pass  over  to  free 
invention,  and  to  find  in  it  a  fountain  of  enjoy- 
ment, ever  new,  and  inexhaustibly  overflowing. 
To  let  the  child,  entirely  without  a  guide,  be  the 
master  of  his  own  free  will,  and  to  keep  all  dis- 
cipline out  of  his  way,  is  one  of  the  most  dan- 
gerous and  most  foolish  principles  to  which  a 
misunderstood  love  of  children,  alone  could 
bring  us.  This  absolute  freedom  condemns  the 
children,  too  soon,  to  the  most  insupportable 
annoyance.  All  that  is  in  the  child  should  be 
brought  out,  by  means  of  external  influence. 
To  limit  this  influence  as  much  as  possible  is 
not  to  suspend  it.  Frcebel  has  limited  it,  in  a 
most  admirable  way  by  placing  this  guidance 
into  the  child  as  early  as  possible ;  that  from 
one  single  incitement  issues  a  number  of 
others,  within  the  child,  by  accustoming  him 
to  a  lawful  and  regulated  activity  from  his 
earliest  youth. 

With  the  first  vertical  cut,  which  we  made 
into  the  sheet,  (Fig.  1),  the  whole  course  of 
development,  as  indicated  in  the  series  of  fig- 
ures up  to  Fig.  132  is  given,  and  all  subse- 
quent inventions  are  but  simple,  natural  com- 
binations of  the  element  presented  in  the 
"school."  Thus  a  logical  connection  prevails 
in  these  formations,  as  among  all  other  means 
of  education,  hardly  any  but  mathematics 
may  afford. 

Whereas,  the  activity  of  the  cutting  itself. 
and  the  logical  progress  in  it  produces  a  most 
beneficial  influence  upon  the  intellect  of  the 
pupil,  the  results  of  it  will  awaken  his  sense 
of  beauty,  his  taste  for  the  symmetrical,  and 
his  appreciation  of  harmony  in  no  less  degree. 
The  simplest  cut  already  yields  an  abundance 
of  various  figures.  If  we  make  as  in  Fig.  5, 
two  vertical  cuts,  and  unfold  all  single  parts 
we  shall  have  a  square  with  hollow  middle,  a 
small  square,  and  finally  the  frame  of  a  square. 
If  we  cut  according  to  Fig.  6,  we  produce  a 
large  octagon,  four  small  triangles,  four  strips 
of  paper  of  a  trapezium  form,  nine  figures 
altogether. 

All  these  parts  are  now  symmetrically  ar- 
ranged according  to  the  law  :  union  of  opposites 


— here  effected  by  the  position  or  direction  of 
the  parts  relative  to  the  center — and  after  they 
have  been  arranged  in  this  manner,  the  pupils 
will  often  express  the  desire  to  preserve  them 
in  this  arrangement.  This  natural  desire  finds 
its  gratification  by 

MOUNTING  THE  FIGURES. 

As  separation  always  requires  its  opposite, 
uniting,  so  the  cutting  requires  mounting. 
The  following  figures  present  examples  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  cutting  is  mounted  :  Fig. 
5  a  is  Fig.  5  cut  and  mounted  ;  Fig.  9  a  cor- 
responds to  Fig.  9,  and  so  on.  With  the 
simpler  cuts,  the  clippings  should  be  used,  but 


Fig.  9  a. 

if  a  main  figure  is  complete  and  symmetrical 
in  itself,  the  addition  of  the  clippings  would 
not  be  necessary. 

This  occupation  also,  can  be  made  sub- 
servient to  influence  the  intellectual  develop- 
ment of  the  child  by  requiring  him  to  point  out 
different  ways  in  which  these  forms  may  be  ar- 
ranged and  put  together,  (Fig.  37  a). 


♦    ♦ 


Fier.    12  a. 


Fig.   20  a. 


In  order  to  increase  the  interest  of  the  chil- 
dren, to  give  a  larger  scope  to  their  inventive 
power,  and  at  the  same  time,  to  satisfy  their 
taste  and  sense  of  color,  they  may  have  paper 
of  various  colors  and  be  allowed  to  exchange 
their  productions  among  one  another. 

Both  these  occupations,  cutting  and  mount- 
ing, are  for  the  Kindergarten  as  well  as  higher 
grades  of  schools.     For  older  pupils,  the  cut- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


233 


Fig.  37  a. 


Fig.  56  a. 


Fig.  71  a. 


Fig.  82  a. 


Fig.  100  a. 


Fig.  128  a. 


<  ♦  ►  <  ♦ 

>AV 

•<  ♦  ►. 


Fig.  129  a. 


Fig.  132 


Fig  150  a. 


Fig.  147  a. 


« 


Fig.  159  a. 


Fig.  108  a. 


Fig.  124  a. 


Fig.  163  a. 


Fig.  165  a. 


234 


PARADISE  OF    CHILDHOOD. 


ting  out  of  animals,  plants  and  other  forms  of  and  mounting  the  parts  to  figures,  as  intro- 
life  will  be  of  interest,  and  silhouettes  even  duced  here,  are  of  undeniable  benefit, 
may  be  prepared  by  the  most  expert.  The  main  object,  however,  is  here,  as  in  all 
It  is  evident  that  not  only  as  a  simple  means  other  occupations  in  the  Kindergarten,  develop- 
ed occupation  for  the  children,  during  their  ment  of  the  sense  of  beauty,  as  a  preparation 
early  life,  but  as  a  preparation  for  many  an  for  subsequent  performance  in  and  enjoyment 
occupation  in  real  life,    the   cutting   of   paper  of  art. 

EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


This  occupation  emphasizes  color  and  de- 
velops the  artistic  sense  of  the  child  by  the 
symmetrical  forms  which  he  produces  in  beauti- 
ful colors.  For  the  first  series  of  cuts  the  six 
spectrum  colors  should  be  chosen,  as  a  knowl- 
edge of  pure  colors  and  normal  tones  must  pre- 
cede color  combinations. 

The  cutting  may  be  given  as  a  class  exercise, 
the  children  doing  the  folding,  cutting,  arrang- 
ing and  pasting  all  together. 

The  square  is  taken  as  a  basis  for  all  the 
simplest  designs,  and  out  of  it  the  child  clips  a 
house,  barn,  church,  etc.,  with  the  conscious- 
ness of  possessing  a  power  over  this  little  sheet 
of  paper  which  is  really  creative  and  with  which 
he  is  aide  to  produce  a  great  variety  of  forms 
and  designs.  The  work  requires  accuracy  and 
delicate  handling,  being  easy  or  difficult  accord- 
ing to  the  skill  of  the  worker. 

Outlines  of  objects,  animals,  leaves,  forms 
of  beauty  and  geometric  forms  may  be  cut,  by 
leading  the  child  in  logical  succession  from  the 
vertical  cut  to  the  horizontal,  and,  after  com- 
bining these  two,  proceeding  to  the  oblique  cut 
and  its  combinations,  the  cuts  being  made  upon 
the  square,  equilateral  triangle,  oblong  and 
circle. 

Beginning  with  the  straight  lines  the  child 
may  gradually  advance  to  intricate  circular 
cuts,  though  the  curved  line  should  not  be  given 
until  the  child  has  gained  dexterity  in  handling 
the  scissors. 

On  the  plain,  unruled  paper  the  marking  or 
folding  should  be  on  the  upper  triangle  only ; 
the  cutting  through  them  all.  At  first  the  line 
may  be  lightly  traced  with  a  pencil  before  cut- 
ting, but  this  practice  should  not  continue  loug 
enough  to  make  the  child  dependent  upon  it. 

For  the  sake  of  obtaining  sufficient  accuracy 
in  the  cutting,  the  ruled  cutting  papers  are 
manufactured,  which  have  a  network  on  the  up- 
per triangle  and  are  exactly  in  the  line  of  Froe- 
bel's  method,  because  they  assist  the  child  to 


accurately  draw  from  dictation  his  own  patterns 
for  cutting. 

The  child  must  be  led  to  free  creation  by 
first  imitating,  and  when  he  learns  obedience 
through  dictation,  and  also  gains  in  manual 
dexterity,  after  a  few  cuts  inventions  may  be 
called  for,  each  child  being  allowed  to  choose 
the  form  and  color  he  prefers  for  his  invention 
from  among  the  forms  previously  made,  thus 
encouraging  his  will-power  in  making  a  selec- 
tion and  adding  interest  and  variety  to  the  oc- 
cupation. Sequences  should  be  used  in  order 
to  develop  continuity  of  thought  and  to  illus- 
trate the  idea  of  growth,  the  value  of  the  se- 
quence depending  upon  the  form  produced  and 
upon  the  color  used. 

When  the  forms  are  made  they  should  be  * 
pasted  on  one  side  of  the  mounting  sheet  and 
the  several  sheets  belonging  to  each  child  may 
lie  kept  loose  until  the  whole  number  is  com- 
pleted and  then  put  in  book  form.  As  only 
one  design  is  seen  at  a  time  the  standard  colors 
may  be  used  in  succession  without  unpleasant 
effects.  The  same  cut  can  be  mounted  in  dif- 
ferent ways  and  various  results  produced.  A 
house  with  furnishings  may  be  cut  and  many 
lessons  in  good  housekeeping  taught.  Border 
patterns  are  easily  cut.  Delicate  lace-like  pat- 
terns make  decorations  for  sachet  bags,  lamp 
screens,  box  covers,  needle  books  or  the  lining 
for  a  box  or  basket.  Out  upon  larger  squares 
they  furnish  pretty  designs  for  outline  stitch- 
ing or  braiding. 

As  this  occupation  is  fully  treated  in  books 
written  on  the  subject, it  is  inexpedient  to  give 
in  this  connection  more  than  a  few  hints  as  to 
its  possibilities. 

"Paper  and  Scissors  in  the  Schoolroom," 
by  Emily  A.  Weaver  gives  a  practical  and 
systematic  course  in  paper  cutting  and  fold- 
ing, the  third  chapter  being  devoted  to  cut- 
ting the  geometric  figures  and  useful  and  orna' 
mental  forms  based  on  them. 


THE  FOURTEENTH  GIFT. 
MATERIAL  FOR  BRAIDING  OR  WEAVING. 


Braiding  is  a  favorite  occupation  of  chil- 
dren. The  child  instinctively,  as  it  were,  likes 
everything  contributing  to  his  mental  and 
bodily  development,  and  few  occupations  may 
claim  to  accomplish  both,  better  than  the  oc- 
cupation now  introduced.  It  requires  great 
care,  but  the  three  year  old  child  may  already 
see  the  result  of  such  care,  whereas  even  from 


Fig.  1. 


Fig.  2. 


twelve  to  fourteen  years  old  pupils, often  have 
to  combine  all  their  ingenuity  and  perseverance 
to  perform  certain  more  complicated  tasks  in 
the  braiding  or  weaving  department.  It  does 
not  develop  the  right  hand  alone,  the  left  also 
finds  itself  busy  most  of  the  time.  It  satisfies 
the  taste  of  color,  because  to  each  piece  of 
braiding,  strips  of  at  least  two  different  colors 
belong.  It  excites  the  sense  of  beauty  because 
beautiful,  i.  e.,  symmetrical,  forms  are  pro- 
duced ;  at  least  their  production  is  the  aim  of 
this  occupation.     The  sense  and  appreciation 


of  number  are  constantly  nourished,  nay  it 
may  be  asserted,  that  there  is  hardly  a  better 
means  of  affording  perceptions  of  numerical 
conditions,  so  thorough,  founded  on  individual 
experience  and  rendered  more  distinct  by  di- 
versity in  form  and  color,  than  '  'braiding." 
The  products  of  the  child's  activity,  besides, 
are  readily  made  useful  in  practical  life,  af- 
fording thereby  capital  opportunities  for  ex- 
pression of  his  love  and  gratitude,  by  presents 
prepared  by  his  own  hand. 

The  material  used  for  this  occupation  are 
sheets  of  paper  cut  into  strips  which  are  left 
joined  at  the  ends,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1,  and 
the  braiding  needle,  as  represented  in  Fig.  2. 


: : ■  i  ii  i  s :  i 
::::::::::  i 
:::::::::■ 

1 1  IBS! I  8111 

iiiiiiini 
::::::::::: 
minim 
ii  i  in  i  ii  :i 

«•■■■■■■■■ 


Fig.  3. 


Fig.  4. 


A  braid  work  is  produced  by  drawing  with 
the  needle  a  loose  strip  (white)  through  the 
strips  of  the  braiding  sheet  (green),  so  that  a 
number  of  the  latter  will  appear  over,  another 
under  the  loose  strip.  These  numbers  are 
conditioned  by  the  form  the  work  is  to  assume. 
As  there  are  but  two  possible  ways  in  which 
to  proceed,  either  lifting  up,  or  pressing  down 


1,8,8  8  11,8  8  3  8  8 

1 1  fiVi  iVfiY 
1 1  iV i  i'iTiYi 
i 1  i"b  i  i'i  iYs'i 
1 1 1 1  r  iYiYi  i 
i  Y:'i  1 1 1  Yi'i  i 


■  ■  ■ 

'  ■  ■ 

11 

inn; 

■  ■  ' 
■  a  ■ 

ii 

!■!■ 

8  1  l"8  1 1 

■  a  a  ■  ■  • 

in 

■  ■ 

II 

Mill! 

ii 

II 

nun 

a  ■  ■ 

■V 

II 

JUL1 ! '  - 

II 

in  in 

8  1  8 

Fig.  5. 


Fig.  6. 


the  strips  of  the  braiding  sheet,  the  course  to 
be  taken  by  the  loose  strip  is  easily  expressed 
in  a  simple  formula.  All  varieties  of  patterns 
are  expressible  in  such  formulas  and  therefore 
easily  pi'eserved  and  communicated. 

The  simplest  formula  of  course,  is  when  one 
strip  is  raised  and  the  next    pressed    down. 


236 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


We  express  this  formula  by  i  u  (up),  i  d 
(down) .  All  such  formulas  in  which  only  two 
figures  occur,  are  called  simple  formulas  ;  com- 
bination formulas,  however,  are  such  as  con- 
tain a  combination  of  two  or  more  such  sim- 
ple formulas. 

But  with  a  single  one  of  such  formulas,  no 
braid  work  can  yet  be  constructed.  If  we 
should,  for  instance,  repeat  with  a  second, 
third,  and  fourth  strip,  i  w,i(7,  the  loose  strips 
would  slip  over  one  another   at  the  slightest 


ViWi'iUiW 
iYiTmTmTi 


1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 : 


» 

imimimm 


Fig.  7.  Fig.  8. 

handling,  and  the  strips  of  the  braiding  sheet 
and  the  whole  work,  drops  to  pieces  if  we 
should  cut  from  it  the  margin.  In  doing  the 
latter,  we  have,  even  with  the  most  perfect 


!:MIMMM 

I'lYsmTm 
iYmiYmYm 
fiYiTiiYff: 


■!■  ■■■■■■■  ■"■ 

TlMIIIIII 

1 1 1 "ill 1 1 1 1 


Fig.  9.  Fig.  10. 

braidwork,  to  employ  great  care  ;  but  it  is  only 
then  a  braid  or  weaving  work  exists — when  all 
strips  are  joined  to  the  whole  by  other  strips, 
and  none  remain  entirely  detached. 


"•  ■'■■■■■■■  » 

i.ijjmi.i.i.i 

■>■■■■■■■> 

iiiiiiiim 


Fig.   11 


x: mi  i ii 1 1 
MiiililMI 

IIIIIIIIM 

IMMNIIII 

MMIIMM 
1 1  i  1 1 1  l.l.l.l  I 

Mini  mii 


Fig.  12. 


To  produce  a  braid  work,  we  need  at  least 
two  formulas,  which  are  introduced  alternately. 
Proceeding  according  to  the  same  fundamental 
law  which  has  led  us  thus  far  in  all  our  work,  we 
combine  first  with  i  w,  i  d,  its  opposite  i  d,  i  u. 

Such  a  combination  of  braiding  formulas  by 
which  not  merely  a  single  strip,  but  the  whole 
braid  work,  is  governed,  is  a  braiding  scheme. 


Braiding  formulas,  according  to  which  the 
single  strip  moves,  are  easily  invented.  Even 
if  one  would  limit  one's  self  to  take  up  or  press 
down  no  more  than  five  strips,  (and  such  a 
limitation  is  necessary,  because  otherwise  the 
braiding  would  become  too  loose),  the  follow- 
ing thirty  formulas  would  be  the  result : — 


1, 

lu  la- 

9, 

3uld 

17, 

4u2d 

24, 

5d  lu 

2, 

id  lu 

10, 

3dlu 

18, 

4d2u 

25, 

5u2d 

3, 

2u2d 

11, 

3u  2d 

19, 

4u3d 

26, 

5d2u 

1. 

2d  2u 

12, 

3d2u 

20, 

4d3u 

27, 

5u3d 

"», 

2uld 

13, 

4u4d 

21, 

5u  5d 

2S, 

5d3u 

6, 

2d  lu 

14, 

4d4u 

22, 

5d  5u 

29, 

5u4d 

7, 

3u  .3d 

15, 

4uld 

23, 

5uld 

30, 

5d  4u 

8, 

3d  3u 

16, 

4dlu 

mm 

Mill  I  i  if  i  I 
ii  ii  1 1 1  ii : 

MMMIMM 

IIIIIIIIM 


MMMIMM 

mYiYmmm 


MMMIMM 
miYiYiiii: 


Fig.  13.  Fig.   14. 

From  these  thirty  formulas,  amoug  which  are 
always  two  oppositionally  alike, as  for  instance, 
1  and  2,  9  and  10,  25  and  26,  hundreds  of 
combined,  or  combination  formulas  can  be 
formed  by  simply  uniting  two  of  them.  In  the 
beginning  it  is  advisable  to  combine  such  as 


■  ■  ■ 

■    ■ 

Ml 

iiiiii 

II 

Ml 

Mill 

II 

m 

111=11 

M 

Ml 

■  Mill 

Yi 

Ml 

Mill 

ii 

fflC 

OfflS 

ii 

.".V 

■    ■  ■    ■   ■ 

■  ■ 
■  ■ 

i 

■  ■ 

ii 
ii 

■  ■ 

ii 

■  ■  ■  ■ 

IMS 

MM 

■  ■ 
■  ■ 
i  ■ 

■  ■ 

■  i 

1 1 

■  ■ 

i 

ii 

si 

Mi! 

: 

Yi 

Yi 

YiYi 

■  ■ 

■  ■ 

i: 

ii 

nil 

ii 

■ 

i 

n 

ii 

:::! 

ii 

■  i 

Fig.  15. 


Fig.  16. 


contain  equally  named  numbers  either  even  01- 
odd.     The  following  are  some  examples  : — 


Formulas 


and     3,  lu  Id,  2u  2d. 

and     5,  lu  Id,  2u  Id. 

and     7,  lu  Id,  3u  3d. 

and    9,  lu  Id,  3u  Id. 

and  11,  lu  Id,  3u  2d. 

and  13,  lu  Id,  4u  4d. 
1  and  15,  lu  Id,  4u  Id. 
1  and  17,  lu  Id,  4u  2d. 
1  and  19,  lu  Id,  4u  3d. 
1  and  21,  lu  Id,  5u  5d 
1  and  23,  lu  Id,  5u  Id.* 
1  and  25,  lu  Id,  5u  2d. 
1  and  27,  lu  Id,  5u  3d. 
1  and  29,  lu  Id,  5u  4d. 
If  we  also  add  the  formulas  under  the  even 
numbers  in  the  given  thirty,  we  have  to  read 
them  inversely.     Thus  : — 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


237 


Formulas   1  and    6,  lu  Id,  lu  2d. 
"  1  and  10,  lu  Id,  lu  3d. 

"  1  and  12,  lu  Id,  2u  3d. 

"  1  and  16,  lu  Id.  lu  4d. 

"  1  and  18,  lu  Id,  2u  4d. 

1  and  20,  lu  Id,  3u  4d. 
"  1  and  24,  lu  Id,  lu  5d. 

"  1  and  26,  lu  Id,  2u  5d- 

"  1  and  28,  lu  Id,  3u  5d. 

"  1  and  30,  lu  Id,  4u  5d. 

By  a  combination  of  one  single  lormula  with 


1 1 1 : 1 1 1  s  1 1 
IMIIIIIi!! 


am :::: :: 

mmM:jg; 
vrivrriViV 


Fig.  17. 

the  twenty-four  others,  we  receive  new  com- 
bination formulas  and  see  that  inventing  form- 
ulas is  a  simple  mathematical  operation,  regu- 
lated by  the  laws  of  combination. 

Much  more  difficult  it  is  to  invent  braiding 
schemes.     Not  to  dwell  too  long  on  this  point, 


i  ■  ■■  ■■ 

■■  ■■  ■■ 

T.1 


tt&K 


Fig.  19. 
we  introduce  the  reader 


Fig.  20. 


to  the  course  shown 
in  the  following  figures,  which  are  arranged  so 
systematically  that  either  as  a  whole  cr  with 
some  omissions,  it  may  be  worked  through  with 
children  from  three  to  six  years,  as  a  braiding 
school.    It  begins  with  simple  formulas  and  by 


Fig.  21. 


mm 


Fig.  22. 


Figs.  3  and  4  ;  Fig.  7  a  combination  of  Figs. 
3  and  5  by  combining  the  simple  formulas.  If 
we  examine  Fig.  7  the  number  three  makes  it- 
self prominent  in  the  strips  running  obliquely. 
In  Fig.  8  it  occurs  independently  as  opposite 


means  of  the  law  of  opposites  is  carried  out  to 
the  most  beautiful  figures. 

Formula  i,  m  id,  (Fig.  3),  is  first  intro- 
duced ;  opposite  in  regard  to  number  is  2u  2d, 
(Fig.  4).  In  Fig.  5  the  numbers  one  and 
two  are  combined  :  Fig.  6  is  a  combination  of 


Fig.  23. 


Fig.  24. 


to  one  and  two  and  then  follows  in  Figs. 
9—17  a  series  of  mediative  forms  all  uniting 
the  opposites  in  regard  to  number.  In  all 
these  patterns  the  squares  or  oblongs  produced 
are  arranged  vertically  under,  or  horizontally 


Fig.  25. 


Fig.  26. 


beside,  one  another.  Except  in  Fig.  3,  the 
oblique  line  appears  already  beside  the  hori- 
zontal and  vertical.  Thus,  this  given  oppo- 
site of  form  is  prevailing  in  Figs.  18-32,  and 
we  apply  here  the  same  formulas  in  Figs.  3-17, 
with  the  difference,  however,  that  we  need  only 


Fig.  27 


Fig.  28. 


one  formula,  which  in  the  second,  third  strip, 
etc.,  always  begins  one  strip  later  or  earlier. 
Thus  in  Fig.  18,  the  formula  2u  2d  (as  in  Fig. 
4)  is  carried  out.  The  dark  and  light  strips  of 
the  pattern  run  here  from  right  above,  to  left 
below.  Opposite  of  position  to  Fig.  18  is  shown 
in  Fig.  19  where  both  run  the  opposite  way. 
Fig.  20  shows  combination,  and  Fig.  21  double 
combination.     In  opposition  to  the  connected 


238 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


oblique  lines, the  broken  line  appears  in  Fig.  22. 
As  the  formula  2u  2d  has  furnished  us  five 
patterns,  so  the  formula  of  Fig.  5,  iu  2d,  fur- 
nishes the  series,  Figs.  23-27.  Figs.  23  and  24 
are  opposites  as  to  direction.  Fig.  25  shows 
the  combination  of  these  opposites.     Figs.  26 


■iJKiKtf^- 


jr."  jr.-  jv  Jt 


_■■  ■     ■■   ■     ■■  • 
aia     Mia     n  ■     ■ 

■   ■      ■■   ■      aa   ■      !■   ■ 
■     aa  a     «»  ■     al  ■ 


Fig.  29. 

and  27,  opposites  to  one  another,  are  forms 
of  mediation  between  Figs.  23  and  24.  With 
them  for  the  first  time  a  middle  presents  itself. 
AVhile  in  Figs.  23-28  the  dark  color  is  pre- 
vailing, Figs.  2H-30  show  us  predominantly, 
the  light  strip,  consequently  the  opposite  in 


Fig.  31.  Fig.  32. 

color.  In  Figs.  31-33,  formulas  from  Figs. 
5-7  are  employed.  Fig.  31  requires  an  op- 
posite of  direction,  a  pattern  in  which  the  strips 
run  from  left  above  to  right  below.  Fig.  32 
gives  the  combination  of "  both  directions  and 
Figs.  33  and  34  are  at  the  same  time  opposites 
as  to  direction  and  color. 


a     a  a     a 

ft  m    ~a     ■ 


Fig.  33.  Fig.  34. 

It  is  obvious  that  each  single  formula  can 
be  used  for  a  whole  series  of  divers  patterns, 
and  the  invention  of  these  patterns  is  so  easy 
that  it  will  suffice  if  we  introduce  each  new 
formula  very  briefly. 

Fig.  35  is  a  form  of  mediation  for  the  for- 
mula 3u  3d  ;  Fig.  36  shows  a  different  appli- 


cation of  the  same  formula.  In  Fig.  37  the 
broken  line  appears  again,  but  in  opposition 
to  Fig.  22  it  changes  its  direction  with  each 
break.  In  Figs.  38-42  the  formulas  of  Figs. 
9,  10,  12,  13,  and  15  are  carried  out.  The 
braiding  school,per  se,is  here  concluded.  Who- 
ever may  think  it  too  extensive  may  select 
from  it  Figs.  3,  4,  5,  8,  9,  12,  18,  19,  20,  23, 
26,  27,  28,  35  and  36. 


sr  -*r  V 

»       ■       ■       1       "^     ■ 
■5m       mKi 


■  «■■»  allaBaa  ■■■ 


Fig.  35. 


»    ■         ■    ■         ■    ■         ■ 

r.v.V.V. 

.::..::. .: :. .: 

r  i-T_*- 


Fig.  36. 


But  if  any  one  would  like  still  to  enlarge 
upon  it,  she  may  do  so  by  working  out,  for 
each  single  formula,  the  forms  or  patterns 
18,  19,  20,  21,  1(5  and  27,  and  continue  the 
school  to  the  number  5.  The  number  of  pat- 
terns will  be  made,  thereby,  ten  times  larger. 

Another  change    and    enlargement   of    the 


Fig.  38. 

school  may  be  introduced  by  cutting  the 
braiding  strips,  as  well  as  those  of  the  braiding- 
sheet  of  different  widths.  We  can  thereby 
represent  quite  a  number  of  patterns  after  the 
same  formula,  which  are,  however,  essentially 
different.      This  is  particularly  to  be  recom- 


"..a.  ■ .....'".:: 


Fig.  39. 


sr  .  •«:■ .  ■:.!■ . 

■  «■■  ■  -  ■■■  ■  ■■ 

■  ■■M     ■■•■•     ■■■ 

"■■«■■-■"  •■S-2S" 

*T  m    555  ■  ■■■  ■ 


Fig.  40. 


mended  with  very  small  children,  who  neces- 
saril}7  will  have  to  be  occupied  longer  with  the 
simple  formula  iu  id.  But  for  more  developed 
braiders,  such  change  is  of  interest,  because, 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


239 


Fig.  43. 


Fig.  44. 


Fig.  49. 


Fig.  45. 


p:.a-ps-a.p:-a» 
■  Pi1  pi  r« 


Fig.  46. 


■■  ■■  _■ 

*  1 

MB  a  «■■■ 

■■■  ■■ 

n.  ■  -:■!■ 

■■  ■■-   ■  ; 

W-'SA 

a.  x .::. 

■  ■■   ■■  ■ 

■■  ■■  -  ■ 
■  ■■   ■■  ■ 
■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■■■  ■ 

■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■  ■■   ■■  ■ 

■■  ■■   ■ 
■  ■■   ■■  ■ 
■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■■■ 

■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■  ■■   ■■  ■ 

■■  ■■   ■ 

■  ■■   ■■  ■ 
■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■■■ 
■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■S.  J"  ■■ 

:.:■  ■  ■:.:. 

■  ■■■ 

PS.  ■  JTT 

■■  ■■    ■ 
■  ■■    ■■  ■ 
■■■   ■   ■■■■ 

■■■ 
■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

■  ■■   ■■  ■ 

■■  ■■   ■ 

■  ■■   ■■  5. 

■■■  ■  ■■■■ 

Fig.  47. 


Fig.  48. 


Fig.  50. 


240 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


by  it  a  variety  of  forms  may  be  produced  which   the  braiding  without  braiding  sheet.     This  is 
may  be  rendered  still  more  attractive,  by  a  va-    done  as  follows  :   Cut  two  or  more  long  strips 


riety  of  colors  in  the  loose  braiding  strips. 
With  patterns  that  have  a  middle, as  Figs.  26 


and  30  it  is  advisable  to  let  the  braiding  begin 
with  the  middle  strip, and  then  to  insert  always 
one  strip  above,  and  one  below  it. 

It  is  not  unavoidably  necessary  that  the 
school  should  be  finished  from  1  >eginning  to  end, 
as  given  here.  The  pupil,  having  successfully 
produced  some  patterns,  may  be  afforded  an 
opportunity  for  developing  his  skill  by  his  own 


Fia;.  53. 


Fig.  54. 


invention,  in  trying  to  form,  by  braiding  a 
cross, with  hollow  middle,  ( Fig.  43) , a  standing 
oblong,  (Fig.  44),  a  long  cross,  (Fig.  45),  a 
small  window,  (Fig.  47),  etc. 

Figs.  48-51,  present  some  patterns  which 
may  be  used  for  wall-baskets,  lamp  tidies, 
bookmarks,  etc. 

Finally,  Figs.  52-54,  obliquely  intertwined 
strips,  representing  the  so-called  free  braiding, 


(Fig.  55),  of  a  quarter  sheet  of  col- 
ored paper,  (green)  and  fold  to  half 
their  length,  (Fig.  56)  cut  then,  of 
differently  colored  paper,  (white), 
shorter  strips,  also  fold  these  to  half 
their  length.  Put  the  green  strips, 
side  by  side  of  one  another,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  58,  so  that  the  closed  end  of 
one  strip  lies  above  and 
that  of  the  other  below, 
(Fig.  58cc).  Then 
take  the  white  strip 
bend  it  around  strip 
1 ,  and  lead  it 
through  strip  2, 
(Fig.  59).  The 
second  str  i  p  is 
app  lied  in  an  op- 
posite way,  lay  i  n  g 
it  around    2,  and 


U 


Fig. 55.    Fig.56.    Fig.57. 


I 


i 

1    < 

2Zi- 

■ 

■  ZX 

hi 

■  3 

TZW 

■ZX 

>     ■*. 

^--1 

i1— l 

ZZB. 

, 1 

■ZI 

5=1 

Fig.  58.  Fig.  59.  Fig.  60. 

leading  it  through  1.  Employing  four  instead 
of  two  green  strips,  the  bookmark,  Fig.  60, 
will  be  the  result.  The  protruding  ends  are 
either  cut  or  scol loped. 
By  introducing  s  t  r  i  p  s  of 
differ entwidths,  a  va- 
riety of  patterns  can  be 
produced. 


SB 


h. 


Fig.  61. 


^&X 


Fig.  62. 


Fig.  63. 


Instead  of  paper,  glazed  muslin,  leather, 
silk  or  ribbon,  straw  and  the  like  may  be  used 
as  material  for  braiding. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 
EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


241, 


The  occupation  of  mat  weaving  is  fully  ex- 
plained in  the  foregoing  pages,  and  the  variety 
of  material  now  prepared  and  for  sale  in  the 
market  is  so  great  that  almost  anything  which 
a  teacher  may  require  can  he  obtained  without 
the  "special  cutting"  which  formerly  was  often- 
times deemed  necessary.  With  the  weaving 
material  prepared  in  the  modern  educational 
colored  papers  the  best  possible  exercises  in 
color  combinations  are  introduced,  and  by  ju- 
dicious selections  of  mats  and  fringes  on  the 
part  of  the  teacher  the  child  may  be  accus- 
tomed to  harmonious  combinations  of  colors, 
and  thus  never  acquire  the  preference  for  gaudy 
combinations  which  is  usually  attributed  to  chil- 
dren and  savages.  Bright  pure  colors  do  not 
necessarily  make  "loud"  combinations,  and 
muddy  colors  are  not  essential  to  artistic  effects. 

For    youngest    children  a  mat  four  inches 


square  with  a  cut  surface  of  three  inches  is 
very  desirable, because  little  hands  can  manipu- 
late such  mats  to  better  advantage  than  the 
larger  sizes.  These  small  mats  are  cut  with 
various  numbers  of  strips  from  five  to  ten,  thus 
providing  for  much  practical  use  of  numbers 
and  a  great  variety  of  designs  in  the  patterns 
of  the  weaving.  The  very  elaborate  and  in- 
tricate weaving  designs  which  are  possible  with 
large  mats  and  narrow  strips  are  not  adapted 
to  younger  children,  and  those  who  are  ex- 
perienced enough  to  do  this  grade  of  work  can 
be  profitably  employed  in  more  advanced  work, 
which  may  be  less  intricate  and  fatiguing  and 
more  educational. 

Free  braiding  is  developed  quite  extensively 
by  some  teachers,  while  others  make  compara- 
tively little  of  it,  but  it  is  capable  of  varied 
and  beautiful  results. 


THE  FIFTEENTH  GIFT. 

THE  INTERLACING  SLATS. 


Frcebel  in  his  Gifts  of  the  Kindergarten, 

does  not  present  anything  perfectly  new.  All 
his  means  of  occupation  are  the  result  of  care- 
ful observation  of  the  playful  child.  But  he 
has  united  them  in  one  corresponding  whole ; 
he  has  invented  a  method,  and  by  this  method 
presented  the  possibility  of  producing  an  ex- 
haustless  treasure  of  formations  which,  each 
influencing  the  mind  of  the  pupil  in  its  pecu- 
liar way,  effect  a  development  most  harmoni- 
ous and  thorough  of  all  the  mental  faculties. 
The  use  of  slats  for  interlacing  is  an  occupa- 
tion already  known  to  our  ancestors,  and  who 
has  not  practiced  it  to  some  extent  in  the  days 
of  childhood?  But  who  has  ever  succeeded 
in  producing  more  than  five  or  six  figures  with 
them?  AVho  has  ever  derived,  from  such 
occupation,  the  least  degree  of  that  manual 
dexterity  and  mental  development,  inventive 
power  and  talent  of  combination,  which  it  af- 
fords the  pupils  of  the  Kindergarten  since 
Froebel's  method  has  been  applied  to  the 
material  ? 

Our  slats,  ten  inches  long,  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  broad  and  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  thick, 


Fig.  1 


are  made  of  birch  or  any  tough  wood,  and  a 
dozen  of  them  are  sufficient  to  produce  quite  a 
variety  of  figures.  They  form,  as  it  were  the 
transition  from  the  plane  of  the  tablet  to  the 
line  of  the  sticks,  (Ninth  Gift)  differing,  how- 
ever, from  both,  in  the  fact  that  forms  pro- 
duced by  them  are  not  bound  to  the  plane, 
but  contain  in  themselves  a  sufficient  hold  to 
be  separated  from  it. 

The  child  first  receives  one  single  slat.      Ex- 


amining, it  he  perceives  that  it  is  flexible,  that 
its  length  surpasses  its  breadth  many  times 
and  again  that  its  thickness  is  many  times 
less  than  its  breadth. 

Can  the  pupil  name  some  objects  between 
which  and  the  slat,  there  is  any  similarity  ? 

The  rafters  under  the  roof  of  a  house,  and 
in  the  arms  of  a  wind  mill,  and  the  laths  of 
which  fences,  and  certain  kinds  of  gates  and 
lattice  work  are  made,  are  similar  to  the  slat. 

The  child  ascertains  that  the  slat  has  two 
long  plane  sides  and  two  ends.     He  finds  its 


Fig.  3. 

middle  or  center  point,  can  indicate  the  upper 
and  lower  side  of  the  slat,  its  upper  and  lower 
end,  and  its  right  and  left  side.  After  these 
preliminaries,  a  second  slat  is  given  the  child. 
On  comparison  the  child  finds  them  perfectly 
alike,  and  he  is  then  led  to  find  the  positions 
which  the  two  slats  may  occupy  to  each  other. 
They  can  be  laid  parallel  with  each  other,  so 
as  to  touch  one  another  with  the  whole  length 
of  their  sides,  or  they  may  not  touch  at  all. 

They  can  be  placed  in  such  positions  that 
their  ends  touch  in  various  ways,  and  can  be 
laid  crosswise,  over  or  under  one  another. 

With  an  additional  slat,  the  child  now  con- 
tinues these  experiments.  He  can  lay  various 
figures  with  them,  but  there  is  no  binding  or 
connecting  hold.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  he  at- 
tempts to  lift  his  work  from  the  table,  it  falls 
to  pieces. 

By  the  use  of /o»r  slats,  he  becomes  enabled 
to  produce  something  of  a  connected  whole, 
but  this  only  is  done,  when  each  single  slat 
comes  in  contact  with  at  least  three  other  slats. 
Two  of  these  should  be  on  one  side,  the  third 
or  middle  one  should  rest  on  the  other  side  of 
the  connecting  slat,  so  that  here  again  the  law 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


243 


of  opposites  and  their  mediation  is  followed 
and  practically  demonstrated  in  every  figure. 

It  is  not  easy  to  apply  this  law  constantly 
in  the  most  appropriate  manner.  But  this 
very  necessity  of  painstaking,  and  the  reason- 
ing, without  which  little  success  will  be  at- 
tained, is  productive  of  rich  fruit  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  pupil. 

The  child  now  places  the  slat  aa,  horizontally 
upon  the  table.  Bb,  is  placed  across  it  in  a 
vertical  direction ;  cc,  in  a  slanting  direction 
under  a  and  b,  and  (hi,  is  shoved  under  aa,  and 
over  bb,  and  under  cc,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1. 

This  gives  a  connected  form,  which  will  not 


Fig.  5. 

easily  drop  apart.  The  child  investigates  how 
each  single  slat  is  held  and  supported — he  in- 
dicates the  angles,  which  were  created,  and 
the  figures  which  are  bounded  by  the  various 
parts  of  the  slats. 

To  show  how  rich  and  manifold  the  material 
for  observation  and  instruction  given  in  this 
one  figure  is,  we  will  mention  that  it  contains 
twenty-four  angles,  of  which  eight  are  right, 


Fig.  6.  Fig.  7. 

eight  acute,  and  eight  obtuse — formed  by  one 
vertical  slat,  bb,  one  horizontal  aa,  one  slant- 
ing from  left  above  to  right  below,  cc,  and 
another  slanting  from  right  above  to  left  be- 
low, dd. 

Each  single  slat  touches  each  other  slat 
once  ;  two  of  them,  aa  and  bb,  pass  over  two 
and  under  one,  and  the  others,  cc  andcfaZ,  pass 
under  two  and  over  one  of  the  other  slats,  by 
which    interlacing,    three     small    figures    are 


formed  within  the  large  figure,  one  of  which  is 
a  figure  with  two  right,  one  obtuse  and  one 
acute  angle,  and  four  unequal  sides,  and  two 
others,  one  of  which  is  a  right-angled  triangle 
with  two  equal  sides,  and  the  other  is  a  right 
angled  triangle  with  no  equal  sides. 

By  drawing  the  slats  of  Fig.  1  apart,  Fig.  2, 
an  acute-angled  triangle  is  produced — by  draw- 
ing them  together,  Fig.  3  results,  from  which 


Fis.  8. 


Fig:.  9. 


the  acute-angled  triangle,  Fig.  4,  can  again  be 
easily  formed.  Each  of  these  figures  presents 
abundant  matter  for  investigation  and  instruc- 
tive conversation,  as  shown  in  connection  with 
Fig.  1. 

The  child  now  receives  a  fifth  slat.  Sup- 
pose we  have  Fig.  2,  consisting  of  four  slats 
— ready  before  us — we  can,  by  adding  the 
fifth  slat,  easily  produce  Fig.  8. 


Fist.  10. 


Fig.  11. 


If  the  five  slats  are  disconnected,  the  child 
may  lay  two,  vertically  at  some  distance  from 
each  other,  a  third  in  a  slanting  position  over 
them  from  right  above  to  left  below,  and  a 
fourth  in  an  opposite  direction,  when  the  two 
latter  will  cross  each  other  in  their  middle.  By 
means  of  the  fifth  slat  the  interlacing  then  is 
carried  out,  by  sliding  it  from  right  to  left 
under  the  vertical  over  the  crossing  two,  aud 
again  under  the  other  vertical  slat,  and  thereby 
the  Pig.  5  made  firm. 

By  bending  the  vertical  slats  together,  Fig. 
C)  is  produced ;  when  the  horizontal  slat  as- 
sumes a  higher  position,  a  five-angled  figure 
appears — one  of  the  slanting  slats,  however, 


244 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  12. 


Fig.  13. 


Fig.  22. 


Fig.  23. 


Fig.  14. 


Fig.  15. 


Fig.  24. 


Fig.  25. 


Fig.  16. 


Fig.  17. 


Fig.  26. 


Fig.  27. 


Fig.  18. 


Fig.  19. 


Fig.  28. 


Fig.  29. 


Fig.  20. 


Fig.  21. 


Fig.  30. 


Fig.  31. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


245 


has  to  change  its  position  also,  as  shown  in        The  Figs.  17  and  18,  (triangles)  and  Figs.  19 
Fig.  7.     In  Fig.  8,  the  horizontal  slat  is  moved    and  23,  (hexagons),  deserve  particular  atten- 
downward.     In  Fig.  9,  the  original  position    tion,  because  they  afford  valuable  means  for 
of  the  crossing  slats  is  changed  ;  in  the  triangle,    mathematical  observations. 
Fig.  10,  still  more,  and  in  Figs.   11   and  12, 
other  changes  of  these  slats  are  introduced. 
The  addition  of  a  sixth  slat  enables  us  still 


further  to  form  other  figures  from  the  previous 
ones — Fig.  17  can  be  produced  from  P'ig.  9, 
Fig.  18  from  Figs.  10  or  11,  Fig.  22  "from 
Fig.  12,  and  then  a  following  series  can  be 
obtained  by  drawing  apart  and  shoving  to- 
gether as  heretofore. 

Let  us  begin  thus  :  The  child  lays   (Fig.   13) 


Fig.  39. 

We  find  some  few  examples  of  seven  inter- 
twined slats,  in  (Figs.  25-28),  of  eight  slats, 
(Figs.  29-36),  of  nine  slats,  (Figst  37-40), 
and  of  ten  slats,  (Figs.  41-43). 

All  we  have  given  in  the  above  are  mere 
hints  to  enable  the  teacher  and  pupil  to  find 


Fisr. 


two    slats    horizontally    upon  the  table — two  ^S-  40. 

slats  vertically  over  them  ;   a  large  square  is  m0re    readily    by    individual  application,  the 

produced.     A  fifth  slat  horizontally  across  the  richness  of  figures  to  be  formed  with  this  oc- 

middle  of  the  two  vertical  slats,  gives  two  paral-  cupation  material . 

lelograms,  and  by  connecting  the  sixth    slat        It  is  particularly  mathematical  forms,  reg- 


Fig.  41 


from  above  to  below  with  the  three  horizontal  ular  polygons,  (Figs.  28,  31,  40,  42),  contem- 

slats  so  that  the  middle  one  is  under  and  the  plation  of  divisions,   produced   by   diagonals, 

two  outside  shits  over  it,  the  child  will  have  etc. ,  planes  and  proportions  of  form,   which, 

formed  four  small  squares,  of  equal  size.  informs  of  knowledge,  are  brought  before  the 


246 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


eye  of  the  pupil,  with  great  clearness  and  dis- 
tinctness, by  the  interlacing  slats. 

In  the  meantime,  it  will  afford  pleasure  to 
behold  the  forms  of  beauty,  as  given  in  Figs. 
30,  33,  37  ;  nor  should  the  forms  of  life  be 
forgotten,  as  they  are  easily  produced  by  a 
larger  number  of  slats,  (Fig.  39 — a  fan  ;  Figs. 
35  and  36 — fences) ,  by  combining  the  work  of 
several  pupils. 


The  figures  are  not  simply  to  be  constructed 
and  to  be  changed  to  others,  but  each  of  them 
is  to  be  submitted  to  a  careful  investigation 
by  the  child,  as  to  its  angles,  its  constituent 
parts,  and  their  qualities,  and  the  service  each 
individual  slat  performs  in  the  figure,  as  indi- 
cated with  Fisf.  1. 


The  occupation  with  this  material  will  fre- 
quently prove  perplexing  and  troublesome  to 
the  pupil ;  oftentimes  he  will  try  in  vain  to 
represent  the  object  in  his  mind. 

Having  almost  successfully  accomplished 
the  task,  one  of  the  slats  will  glide  out  from 
his  structure,  and  the  whole  will  be  a  mass  of 
ruins.  It  was  the  one  slat,  which,  owing  to 
its  dereliction  in  performing  its  duty,  destroyed 
the  figure,  and  prevented  all  the  others  from 
performing  theirs. 


Fig.  43. 

It  will  not  be  difficult  for  the  thinking 
teacher  to  derive  from  such  an  occurrence,  the 
opportunity  to  make  an  application  to  other 
conditions  in  life,  even  within  the  sphere  of  the 
young  child,  and  his  companions  in  and  out  of 
school.  The  character  of  this  occupation  does 
not  admit  of  its  introduction  before  the  pupils 
have  sjient  a  considerable  time  in  the  Kinder- 
garten, in  which  it  is  only  begun,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  primary  department. 


THE  SIXTEENTH  GIFT. 


THE  SLAT  WITH  MANY  LINKS. 

»♦» 


This  occupation  material,  which  may  be 
used  at  almost  auy  grade  of  development  in 
the  Kindergarten,  the  primary  and  higher 
school  departments,  is  rich  in  its  application, 
and  may  be  employed  in  representing  various 
kinds  of  lines  and  angles. 

In  making  simple  geometrical  figures  the 
gift  is  invaluable  and  the  forms  of  life  and 
beauty  which  may  be  produced  with  it  offer 
profitable  exercise  for  the  inventive  powers  of 
the  child.  A  few  figures  here  given  may  sug- 
gest the  possibilities  of  this  gift  in  the  several 
classes  of  outlines  to  which  it  is  adapted. 


Fig 


We  have  slats  with  four,  six,  eight  and  six- 
teen links,  which  are  introduced  one  after  the 
other  when  opportunities  offer.  In  putting  the 
first  in  the  hand  of  the  child  we  would  ask 
him  to  unfold  all  the  links  of  the  slat,  and  to 
place  it  upon  the  table  so  as  to  represent  a 
vertical,  horizontal  and  then   an  oblique  line. 


By  bending  two  of  the  links  vertically  and 
the  two  others  horizontally  we  form  a  right 
angle.  Bending  one  of  the  links  of  the  angle 
toward  or  from  the  other,  we  receive  the  acute 
and  obtuse  angles,  which  grow  smaller  or 
larger,   the   nearer   or    farther   the    links    are 


brought  to,  or  from  each  other,  until  we  re- 
duce the  angles  to  either  a  vertical  line  of  two 
links'  length,  or  a  horizontal  line  of  the  length 
of  four  links. 

We  may  then  form  a  square,  Fig.  1.  Push- 
ing two  opposite  corners  of  it  toward  each 
other,  and  bending  the  first  link  so  as  to  cover 


Fig. 


Fig.  6. 


with  it  the  second,  and,  then  joining  the  end 
of  the  fourth  link  to  where  the  first  and  second 
are  united,  we  shall  form  an  equilateral  tri- 
angle, Fig.  2.  (Which  other  triangle  can  be 
formed  with  this  slat,  and  how?) 

The  capital  letters  V,  W,  N,  M,  Z,  and  the 


figure  four  can  be  easily  produced  by  the  chil- 
dren, and  many  figures  constructed  by  the 
teacher  in  which  the  pupils  may  designate  the 
number  and  kinds  of  angles,  which  they  con- 
tain, as  is  done  with  the  movable  slats  on  other 
occasions. 

Fig.  1-8  are   examples   given  with  the  four 


248 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.  10. 


Fig.   14. 


Fig.  15. 


Fig.   16. 


Fig.   1 


Fig.    12. 


Fig.   13. 


Fig.   18. 


PARADISE  OF    CHILDHOOD. 


249 


links.  The  slats  with  six  links  are  introduced 
next,  from  which  the  oblong  may  be  made. 
Figs.  9-21  furnish  examples  of  the  six  links. 


Fig.   19. 


Fig.   22. 
Then  come  the  eight  and  sixteen  links, which  if 
used  in  the  manner  here  indicated  can  be  ren- 
dered  exceedingly  interesting   and  instructive 


to  the  pupils.  A  combination  of  the  different 
forms  of  knowledge  may  be  made, as  two  equi- 
laterals,  Fig.  15  ;  a  square  and  triangle,  Fig. 
21  ;  a  square  and  pentagon,   Fig   35  ;    oblong 


Fig.  23. 
and  rhombus,  Fig.  36,  etc.     Figs.  22-35  are 
figures  made  with  the  eight  links  and  Figs.  36- 
45  with  the  sixteen  links. 

The  ingenuity  and  inventive  power  of  the 
children  will  find  a  large  field  in  the  occupation 


Fig.   24. 
with  this  material,  if,  at  times, they  are  allowed 
to  produce  figures  themselves,  of  which  the 
more  advanced  pupils  may  make  drawings  and 
give  a  description  of  each  orally. 


Fig.  25. 
It  would  be  needless  to  enlarge  here  upon  the 
richness  of  material  afforded  by  this  gift, as  half 
an  hour's  study  of  and  practice  with  it  will  con- 
vince eacli  thinking  teacher  fully  of  the  treasure 
in  her  hand  and  certainly  make  her  admire  it  on 
account  of  the  simplicity  of  its  application  for 
educational  purposes  in  school  and  family. 


250 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.   26. 


Fig.   29. 


Fig.   30. 


Fig.  27. 


Fig.   28. 


Fig.  31. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


251 


Fig.  32. 


Fig.  35. 


Fig.   36. 


Fig.   33. 


Fig.   34. 


Fio-.   37. 


252 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.   38. 


Fig.   40. 


Fig.   39. 


Fig.  41. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


253 


Fie.   42. 


Fie.  44. 


Fig.  43. 


Fi2\  45  o 


THE  SEVENTEENTH  GIFT. 

MATERIAL  FOR  INTERTWINING. 


Intertwining  is  an  occupation  similar  to 
that  of  interlacing.  Aim  of  both  is  represen- 
tation of  plane — outlines.  In  the  occupation 
with  the  interlacing  slats  we  produced  forms, 
whose  peculiarities,  at  least,  had  to  be  changed 
to  produce  something  new ;  here,  wre  produce 
permanent  results.  There,  the  material  was 
in  every  respect  a  ready  one;  here,  the  pupil 
has  to  prepare  it  himself.  There,  hard  slats 
of  little  flexibility ;  here,  soft  paper,  easily 
changed.  There,  production  of  purely  math- 
ematical forms  by  carefully  employing  a  given 
material ;  here,  production  of  similar  forms  by 
changing  the  material,  which  forms,  however, 
are  forms  of  beauty. 


First,  a  right-angled  isosceles  triangle  is  used 
for  laying  around  it  one  of  these  strips  so  as 
to  enclose  it  entirely.  We  begin  with  the  left 
cathetus,  put  the  tablet  upon  the  strip,  folding 
it  toward  the  right  over  the  right  angle.      The 


Fig.  1. 


The  paper  strips,  not  used  when  preparing 
the  folding  sheets,  are  used  as  material;  adapted 
for  the  present  occupation.  They  are  strips 
of  white  or  colored  paper,  twenty  inches  long 
and  varying  in  breadth.      Each  strip  is  sub 


break  of  the  paper  is  well  to  be  pressed  down, 
and  then  the  strip  is  again  folded  around  the 
acute  angle  toward  the  left.  Where  the  hy- 
potenuse (large  side)  touches  the  left  cathetus 


zn  4\ 


Fig.  7.    Fig.  8.  Fig.  9. 


Fig.  10. 


divided  in  smaller  strips,    which    by    folding  (small  side),  the  strip  is  cut  and  the  ends  of 

their  long  sides  are  transformed  to  threefold  the  figure  there  closed  by  gluing  them  together 

strips  of  eight  to  ten  inches  long    and    one-  by  some  clean  adhesive  matter.     Care  should 
quarter  of  an  inch  wide. 


Fig.  3. 

The  children  will  not  succeed  well,  in  form- 
ing regular  figures  from  these  strips  at  first. 
As  the  main  object  of  this  occupation  is  to  ac- 
custom the  child  to  a  clean,  neat  and  correct 


V 


\ 


Fig.  11. 

betaken  that  the  one  end  of  each  side  be  under, 
performance  of  his  task,  some  of  the  tablets  of    the  other  over,  that  of  the  other. 
Gift  Seven  are  given  him  as  patterns  to  assist        Thus  the  various  kinds  of  triangles,    (Figs, 
him;  or  the  child  is  led  to  draw  three,  four,    1-3),  squares,  rhombus,   rhomboids,  etc.,  are 
or  many  cornered  forms,  and  to  intertwine  his    produced, 
paper  strips  according  to  these.  Two  like  figures  are  combined,  as  shown  in 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


255 


Fig.  12. 


Fig.  13. 


rt> 


M/ 


Fie.  14. 


Fig.  15. 


Fig.  16. 


Fig.  18. 


Fig.  19. 


Fig.  20. 


Fig.  17. 


Fig.  21. 


Fig.  22. 


256 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


Figs.  4-6.  If  strips  prove  to  l>e  too  short 
the  child  is  shown  how  to  glue  them  together, 
to  procure  material  for  larger  and  more  com- 
plicated forms.  Thus,  it  produces  with  one 
long  strip,  Figs.  16,  18,  10,  20  ;  with  two  long 
strips,  Figs.  17,  21.  Fig.  22  shows  the  natu- 
ral size  ;  all  others  are  drawn  on  a  somewhat 
reduced  scale.  It  cannot  be  difficult  to  pro- 
duce a  great  variety  of  similar  figures,  if  one 
will  act  according  to  the  motives  obtained  with 
and  derived  from  the  occupation  with  the  in- 
terlacing slats. 


Fig.  23. 

This  occupation  admits  of  still  another  and 
A'ery  beautiful  modification,  by  not  only  pinch- 
ing and  pressing  the  strip  where  it  forms 
angles,  but  by  folding  it  to  a  rosette.  This 
process  is  illustrated  in  Figs.  7-9.  The  strip 
is  first  pinched  toward  the  right,  (Fig.  7),  then 
follows  the  second  pinch  downwards,  (Fig.  8). 
then  a  third  toward  the  left,  when  the  one  end 
of  the  strip  is  pushed  through  under  the  other. 
(Fig.  9). 

Here,  also,  simple  triangles,  squares,  pen- 
tagons and  hexagons    are   to  be  formed,  then 

EDITOR' 

Preface  the  work  of  intertwining  by  a  divi- 
sion of  the  strip,  which  may  be  folded  to  dif- 
ferent widths  according  to  the  design  required. 
Exercises  in  position  are  interesting.  Any  ob- 
ject that  can  be  represented  by  a  fiat  outline 
can  be  made  with  the  strips,  in  forms  of  life, 
knowledge  and  beauty,  and  then  mounted  on 
sheets  of  bristol  board  for  safe  keeping.  In 
the  geometrical  forms  the  square, oblong,  right 
isosceles  and  equilateral  triangles,  and  the  hex- 
agon and  octagon,  give  fundamental  forms  for 
a  large  number  of  designs. 

This  gift, however,  is  better  adapted  for  older 
children  than   are   found  in  the  kindergarten, 


two  like  figures  combined,  and  finally  more 
complicated  figures  produced.  (Compare  ex- 
amples given  in  Figs.  10-15). 

Whatever  issues  from  the  child's  hand  suffi- 
ciently neat  and  clean  and  carefully  wrought, 
may  be  mounted  on  stiff  paper  or  bristol  board 
and  disposed  of  in  many  ways. 

The  occupation  of  intertwining  shows  plainly 
how  by  combination  of  simple  mathematical 
forms,  forms  of  beauty  may  be  produced. 
These  latter  should  predominate  in  the  Kinder- 


Fig.  24. 

garten,  and  the  mathematical  are  of  impor- 
tance as  they  present  the  elements  for  their 
construction.  The  mathematical  element  of 
all  our  occupations  is  in  so  far  of  significance, 
as  the  child  receives  from  it  impressions  of 
form  ;  but  of  much  more  importance  is  the  de- 
velopment of  the  child's  taste  for  the  beautiful, 
because  with  it,  the  idea  of  the  good  is  de- 
veloped in  the  meantime. 

As  the  various  performances  of  this  occu- 
pation, cutting,  folding  and  mounting,  require 
a  somewhat  skilled  hand,  it  is  introduced  in 
the  upper  section  of  the  Kindergarten  only. 

S  NOTES. 

as  it  requires  gi"eater  dexterity  and  accuracy 
than  the  little  ones  have  at  their  command.  The 
simplest  work  for  them  is  the  making  of  paper 
chains  from  strips  about  three  inches  long. 
Make  a  chain  by  joining  the  ends  and  fastening 
them  with  paste.  Put  a  new  strip  of  paper 
through  the  last  ring  made,  each  time  before 
joining  the  ends.  Alternate  rings  of  two  har- 
monizing colors  may  be  used  with  a  pretty  effect. 
The  two  colors  may  be  mixed  and  given  to  the 
children  to  sort,  before  beginning  to  paste. 
Rings,  bracelets,  necklaces,  and  long  chains 
make  a  pleasant  variety  and  teach  the  children 
neatness  in  pasting  and  harmony  in  color. 


THE  EIGHTEENTH  GIFT. 

MATERIAL  FOR  PAPER  FOLDING. 


Frcebel's  sheet  of  paper  for  folding,  the 
simplest  and  cheapest  of  all  materials  of  occu- 
pation, contains  within  it  a  great  multitude  of 
instructive  and  interesting  forms.  Almost 
every  feature  of  mathematical  perceptions, 
obtained  by  means  of  previous  occupations, 
we  again  find  in  the  occupation  of  paper  fold- 
ing.    It  is  indeed  a    compendium    of   elemen- 


pany  the  work  of  the  children  with  necessary 
conversation  and  pleasant  entertainment,  for 
the  relief  of  their  young  minds. 

The  child  should  be  accustomed  to  the 
strictest  care  and  cleanliness  in  the  folding.  . 

This  is  necessary,  because  paper  carelessly 


Fig.    1 


folded  and  cut,  will  not  only  render  more 
difficult  every  following  task,  nay,  make  im- 
possible every  satisfactory  result ;  especially 
should  this  be  the  case,  because,  we  do  not 


tary  mathematics,    and    has,    therefore,    very 

justly  and  judiciously  been  recommended  as  a    intend  simply  to  while  away  our  own  and  the 

useful  help  in  the  teaching  of  this    science   in 

public  schools. 


\ 

y 

\ 

V                i 

\    / 

V 

/  \ 

y 

/' 

\ 

■' 

\, 

Fig.   2. 

Lines,    angles,     figures    and    forms    of    all  Fig.   4. 

varieties  appear  before  us,    after   a   few   mo-  child's  precious  time,  but  are  engaged  in  an 

ments'    occupation   with    this    material.     The  occupation    whose  final  aim  is  acquisition  of 

multitude  of  impressions,  however,  should  not  ability  to  work,  and  to  work  well— one  of  the 

misguide  us ;  and  we  should  always,  and  more  most    important  claims  human  society  is  en- 

particularly  in  this  work,  be  careful  to  accom-  titled  to  make  upon  each  individual. 


258 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


The  fundamental  forms  are  produced  by  a 
series  of  regular  changes  of  folding  and  creas- 
ing, from  which  sequels  of  forms  of  life  and 
beauty  are  subsequently  developed,  by  means 
of  the  law  of  opposites. 


Fig.  5. 

On  the  road  to  this  goal,  a  surprising  num- 
ber of  forms  of  knowledge  present  themselves. 

In  beginning  lessons  in  paper  folding  give 
each  child  a  piece  of  paper  four  inches  square, 
(Fig.  1),    and  have  him  place  it  on  the  table 


Fig.  6. 
with  the  corner  toward  him.  Fold  the  upper 
corner  over  to  meet  the  lower  corner,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  2.  This  when  unfolded  will  show  the 
division  of  the  square  in  two  right-angled  isos- 
celes triangles,  (Fig.  3). 


Fold  again  on  the  other  diagonal,  and  when 
unfolded  we  find  a  square  divided  by  two  diago- 
nals into  four  right-angled  isosceles  triangles, 
(Fig.  4).  Now  the  lower  and  right  hand  cor- 
ners are  folded  over  to  the  left,  making  two 
oblong  halves  by  a  transversal   as  in  Fig.    5. 


Fig.  7. 
The  same  is  done  to  the  opposite  transversal 
and  when  unfolded  we  have  Fig.  6,  which  af- 
fords a  multitude  of  mathematical  object  per- 
ceptions. With  the  square  placed  cornerwise, 
fold  the  lower  corner  to  the  center  of  the  paper 
and  the  pentagon,  Fig.  7,  will  be  the  result. 
We  fold  the  opposite  corner  in  like  manner 
and  produce  the  hexagon,  (Fig.  8),  and  fi- 
nally with  the  two  remaining  corners,  Fig.  9 
is  formed,  containing  four  triangles,  touching 
one  another  with  their  free  sides,  each  of  them 
again  showing  a  line  halving  them  in  two  equal 
triangles. 


Fig.   8. 

If  we  invert  Fig.  9,  we  have  Fig.  10,  a  con- 
nected square  in  which  the  outlines  of  eight 
congruent  triangles  appear.  If  Fig.  9  is  un- 
folded we  shall  see  beside  a  multiplication  of 
previous  forms,  parallelograms  also.  If  we 
start  from  Fig.  9,  and  fold  the  corners  toward 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


259 


the  middle  as  in   Fig.    11,   we  shall   receive  a  basket,   Fig.  16.      Cup    and    saucer,  Fig.    l7. 

form   consisting  of  four    thickness  of    paper,  Crown,  Fig.  18.      Still  richer  become  the  forms 

and  showing  four  triangles,  under  which  again,  of  life,  if  we  bend  the  corners  of  the  described 

four  separate  squares   are   found,    (Fig.    12).  fundamental  form,  once  more  toward  the  mid- 

This   is  the   fundamental    form  for  a  series  of  die.      In    connection    with  this,     the    manual 


forms  of  life. 


Fig.   9. 
It  is  utterly  impossible  to  give  a  minute  de- 
scription how  forms  of  life  may  be  produced 
from  this  fundamental    form.      Practical    at- 
tempts and  occasional  observation  in  the   Kin- 


Fig.    10. 
dergarten  will  be  of  more  assistance  than  the 
most    detailed    illustrations  and  descriptions. 
Froebel's  Manual  mentions,  among  others,  the 


Fig.   11. 
following    objects  :      A  table-cloth  with 
hanging    corners,    Fig.  13.    A  sailboat. 


four 
Fig. 


mentions  the  following  forms  :  The  knitting- 
pouch,  the  chest  of  drawers,  the  boots,  the  hat, 
the  cross,  the  pantaloons,  the  frame,  the  gon- 
dola, etc.      But  the  simple  fundamental   form 


Fig.    12. 
for   the    forms  of    life,     (Fig.  12),  is  also  the 
fundamental  form    for    the    forms   of   beaut}7. 
Unfold  the   fundamental    form   and  press  the 
middle  of  the  upper  and  lower  sides,  then  the 


Fig.   13. 

remaining  two  sides  to  the  center  of  the  square, 
as  in  Fig.  19.  Fold  each  of  the  overreaching 
triangles  to  the  left,  Fig.  20,  then  back  to  the 
center  of  the  square,  Fig.  21. 


14.  A  double  canoe,  Fig.   15.    A  little   work- 


Fig.   14. 

Once  more  fold  back   to  the  outer  corner, 

Fig.  22.     This  forms  a  small  triangle,  which 

when  pressed  open  will  form  a  small  square, 

Fig.  23.     Turning  each  corner  of  this  square 


260 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


Fig.   20. 


j>\ 

v- 

A 

N 

Fig.  21. 


Fig.   22. 


Fig.   23. 


Fig.   25. 


Fig.    27 


Fig.   29. 


Fig.  31. 


Fig.   24. 


Fig.   26. 


Fig.  28. 


Fig.  30. 


Fig.  32. 


back  half  way  to  its  opposite  corner  we  have  this  form  take  the  paper  as  in  Fig.  19,  open 
Fig.  24.  From  a  similar  fundamental  form  and  press  each  corner  to  the  center  making 
the  series  of  Figs.  26-34  originate      To  make    four  small  squares  as  in  Fig.  25.     From  this 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


26L 


form  the  sequence  is  easily  produced.  If  we 
finally  take  the  paper  as  represented  in  Fig. 
10,  fold  the  lower  right  corner  toward  the  mid- 
dle, also  the  left  upper,  then  the  two  remain- 
ing corners,  we  shall  have  four  triangles  con- 


Fig.    33.  Fig.    34. 

sisting  of  a  double  layer  of  paper,  Fig.  35, 
which  may  lie  lifted  up  from  the  square  ground 
and  the  upper  layer  again  divided  in  triangles. 


L 


Fig.   36.  Fig.   30. 

Invert  this  figure  and  you  will  have  four 
single  squares,  as  shown  in  Fig.  36,  which  is 
the   fundamental  form   of  a  series  of  forms  of 


Fig.    61.  Fig. 

beauty,  shown  in  Figs.  37—46,  the  latter  easily 
derived  from  this  former  under  the  guidance 
of  the  well-known  law  of  opposites. 


Fig.  39.  Fig.  40. 

The  hints  given  in  the  above  might  be  aug- 
mented to  a  considerable  extent  and  still  not 
exhaust  the  matter.     They  are  given  especially 


to  stimulate    teacher  and  child    to  individual, 
practical  attempts  in  producing  forms  by  fold- 


Fig.   41.  Fig.   42. 

ing.  The  best  results  of  their  activity  can  be 
improved  by  cutting  out  or  coloring,  which 
adds  a  new  and  interesting  change  to  this  oc- 
cupation. A  change  of  the  fundamental  form 
in  three  directions  yields  various  series  of  forms 
of  beauty,  which  may  be  multiplied  ad  iwfini- 


Fig.   43.  Fig.   44. 

turn.  Thereby,  not  only  the  idea  of  sequel  in 
representations  is  given,  but  also  the  under- 
standing unlocked  for  the  various  orders  in 
nature. 

Furthermore,  this  occupation  gives  the  pupil 
such  manual  dexterity  as  scarcely  any  other 
does,  and  prepares  the  way  to  various  female 
occupations,  besides  being  immediately  pre- 
paratory to  all  plastic  work.     Early  training 


Fig.  45.  Fig.   16. 

in  cleanliness  and  care  is  also  one  of  the  re- 
sults of  a  protracted  use  of  the  folding  paper. 
It  is  evident  that  only  those  children  who  have 
been  a  good  while  in  the  Kindergarten,  can  be 
employed  in  this  department  of  occupation. 
The  peculiar  fitness  of  the  folding  paper  for 
mathematical  instruction  beyond  the  Kinder- 
garten, must  be  apparent  after  we  have  shown 
how  useful  it  can  be  made  in  this  institution. 


262 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


The  material  for  paper  folding  consists  of 
square,  rectangular,  triangular  and  circular 
pieces  of  various  colors.  Begin  the  lessons 
with  a  talk  ou  the  material,  telling  the  process 
by  which  paper  is  made,  and  asking  the  chil- 
dren to  name  different  articles  which  are  made 
from  it,  and  different  things  for  which  it  is 
used.  When  the  papers  are  given  to  the  chil- 
dren and  placed  in  the  position  directed,  have 
them  quietly  wait  until  all  are  ready  to  begin 
work.  See  that  they  thoroughly  understand 
the  different  positions,  as  front,  back,  right, 
left,  front-right,  back-left,  front-left,  and  back- 
right.  Bring  out  the  ideas  of  edge,  corner, 
vertical,  horizontal  aud  diagonal  lines.  In  giv- 
ing dictations  see  that  the  children  work  by  op- 
posites,  and  that  they  do  not  lift  or  turn  the 
paper,  as  they  should  learn  to  fold  in  all  direc- 
tions equally  well.      Let  them  name  and   use 


try  can  be  evolved  and  this  fact  is  pleasingly 
brought  out  in  this  occupation.  For  these  ex- 
ercises the  four-inch  paper  is  most  convenient 
and  a  single  fold  on  a  diameter  gives  the  semi- 
circle shown  in  Fig.  47.  Fold  again  bringing 
the  two  ends  of  the  diameter  together,  and  the 
quarter  circle  shown  in  Fig.  48  is  the  result. 
Unfold  and  Fig.  4(J  shows  the  circle  divided  into 
four  equal  parts  by  two  creases  perpendicular  to 
each  other.  Fold  the  edge  of  the  circle  over 
towards  the  center  so  as  to  make  a  crease  join- 
ing the  ends  of  two  diameters,  and  repeat  four 
times  to  produce  Fig.  50.   Unfold,  and  Fig.  51 


Fig.   47.  Fig.   48. 

the  forms  they  make,  taking  a  fresh  square  for 
each  object.  The  folds  are  repeated  every  time, 
but  each  additional  fold  makes  a  new  object, 
which,  if  named,  helps  the  children  to  remem- 
ber the  order  of  succession,  especially  if  a  story 
is  added,  and  they  can  use  the  object.  Arrange 
the  folding  according  to  the  season  of  the  year 
and  the  special  subject  of  the  week,  and  yet 
follow  a  sequence  that  the  children  may  see 
the  development  of  one  form  from  another. 


Fig.  49.  Fig.  50. 

By  the  means  of  paper  folding  we  are  able  to 
trace  the  evolution  of  the  seventh  gift  tablets 
from  the  circular  folding  paper.  As  the  ball 
is  the  most  elementary  form  among  solids, so  the 
circle  is  the  primary  form  in  surfaces  with  its 
single  dimension,  the  diameter.  From  the  circle 
the  several  elementary  forms  in  plain  geome- 


Fio-.   51. 


Fig.   52. 


is  the  result,  showing  by  the  creases  a  complete 
square  with  two  diagonals.  In  these  we  have 
the  square  and  half  square,  which  is  again  di- 
vided into  two  other  similar  forms  each  one  half 
the  size  of  the  first.  Take  another  paper  circle 
and  again  fold  on  one  diameter,as  in  Fig.  47. 
The  next  operation  is  somewhat  more  difficult 
than  any  which  have  preceded  it  and  is  shown 
in  Fig.  52.  This  operation  consists  in  folding 
the  semi-circumference  of  the  once  folded  circle 
into  three  equal  parts,  Fig.  52,  and  then,  while 


holding  the  circumference  edges  together  closely 
making  the  folds  to  the  center  of  the  circle. 
In  this  operation  accuracy  may  be  facilitated 
by  first  foldiug  the  semi-circumference  into 
halves  as  though  the  paper  were  to  be  folded 
into  quarters  as  in  Fig.  48  and  then,  instead  of 
completing  the  radial  fold,  just  pinch  the  fold 
at  the  center  of  the  circle  and  thus  indicate  the 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


203 


common  point  of  meeting  for  the  two  folds  in 
completing  Fig.  52.  Having  completed  Fig.  52, 
unfold,  and  Fig.  5  3  is  the  result.  Now  fold  the 


Fig.   55. 
segments  of  the  circle  towards  the  center  as 
was  done  in  making  the  square  but  instead  of 
having  the  fold  subtend  ninety  degrees  let  it 
subtend  one  hundred  and  twenty   degrees    so 


that  three  folds  will  form  a  triangle  as  in 
Fig.  54.  Unfold,  and  Fig.  55  is  is  result.  In 
this  we  have  the  equilateral  triangle  a,  b,  c. 
The  obtuse  angle  a,  h,  x,  the  scalene-triangle 
a,  b,  d,  or  the  smaller  one  b,  x,  d. 

The  above  evolution  of  the  seventh  gift 
forms  from  the  circle,  is  the  result  of  thought 
along  this  line  by  kindergarteners  in  America, 
and  has  been  extended  to  the  evolution  of  solid 
forms  from  the  sphere,  which  it  is  not  in  the 
province  of  these  notes  to  discuss.  This  oc- 
cupation is  one  of  the  best  for  busy  work  in 
the  primary  department  because  of  its  practical 
application  to  form  and  number.  Modern  sug- 
gestions may  be  found  in  Paper  and  Scissors 
in  the  Schoolroom  by  Emily  A.  Weaver,  and 
also  in  other  books. 


THE  NINETEENTH  GIFT. 
MATERIAL  FOR  PEAS- WORK. 


"We  have  already  tried,  in    connection  with 

the  Eighth  Gift,  (the  laying  sticks),  to  ren- 
der permanent  the  productions  of  the  pupils 
hy  stitching  or  pasting  them  to  stiff  paper. 
We  satisfied  by  so  doing  a  desire  of  the  child, 


To  satisfy  the  claims  of  the  pupils  in  this 
direction  in  a  high  degree,  the  working  with 
peas  is  eminently  fitted,  although  considerable 


© 


',-> 


W 


K^ 


@ 


38* 


Fig    1.  Fig.  2. 

which  grows  stronger  as  the  child  grows  older, 
the  desire  to  produce  by  his  own  activity  cer- 
tain lasting  results,      it    is    no    longer  the  in- 


Fig.    7.  Fig.  8. 

manual  skill  is  required  for  it,  not  to  be  ex- 
pected in  any  child  before  the  fifth  year.  The 
material  consists  of  pieces  of  wire  of  the  thick- 


cipient  instinct  of  activity  which   governs    the    ness  of  a  hair-pin,  of  various  sizes  in    length. 


Fig.   3.  Fig.   4. 

child,  the  instinct  which  prompted  him  ap- 
parently without  aim,  to  destroy  everything 
and  to  reconstruct  in  order  to    again   destroy. 


Fig.    9.  Fig.    10. 

and  pointed  at  the  ends.  They  again  repre- 
sent lines.  As  means  of  combination,  as  em- 
bodied points  of  junction,  peas  are  used, 
soaked  about  twelve  hours  in  water  and  dried 


Fig.   5.  Fig.   6. 

A  higher  pleasure  of  production  has  taken  its 
place;  not  satisfied  by  mere  doing,  but  requir- 
ing for  his  satisfaction  also,  delight  in  the 
created  object — if  even  unconsciously — the  de- 
light of  progress,  which  manifests  itself  in  the 
production,  and  which  can  lie  observed  only 
in  and  by  the  permanency  of  the  object  which 
enables  us  to  compare  it  with  objects  previous- 
ly produced. 


Fig.   11.  Fig.   12. 

one  hour  previous  to  being  used.  They  are 
then  just  soft  enough  to  allow  the  child  to  in- 
troduce the  points  of  the  wires  into  them  and 
also  hard  enough  to  afford  a  sufficient  hold  to 
the  latter. 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


2(35 


The  first  exercise  is  to  combine  two  wires, 
by  means  of  one  pea,  into  a  straight  line,  an 
obtuse,  right  and  acute  angle.  What  has  been 
said  in  regard  to  laving  of  sticks  in  connection 
with  Figs.  1-23  sticks  of  that  gift  will  serve 
here  also. 


duce  six  triangles  of  equal  size,  and  repeat 
with  them  all  the  exercises,  gone  through  with 
the  tablets,  and  may  enlarge  upon  them. 

Or  the  child  may  prepare  four,  eight,  sixteen 
right-angled  triangles, or  obtuse-angled, or  acute- 
angled  triangles  and  lay  with  them  Figs.  1-12 
for  the  course  of  drawing,  and  carry  them  out 
still  further. 


Fig.    13.  Fig.    14. 

Of  three  wires,  a  longer  line  is  formed; 
angles,  with  one  long,  and  one  short  side. 
The  three  wires  are  introduced  into   one    pea, 


Fig.   15.  Fig.   16. 

so  that  they  meet  in  one  point :  two  parallel 
lines  may  he  continued  by  a  third;  finally  the 
equilateral  triangle  is  produced. 


Fig.    18. 

After  these  hints  it  seems  impossible  not  to 
occupy  the  child  in  an  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive manner ;  for  the  condition  attached  to 
each  new  gift  of  the  Kindergarten  is  some 
special  progress  in  its  course. 

We  produced  outlines  of  many  objects  with 
the  sticks;  all  formations,  however,  remained 
planes,  whose  sides  were  represented  by  sticks. 


Fig.   17. 

Then  follows  the  square,  parallelogram, 
rhomboid  ;  diagonals  may  be  drawn  and  the 
forms  shown  in  Figs.  1-10  be  produced. 
The  possibility  of  representing  the  most  mani- 
fold forms  of  knowledge,  of  life  and  of  beauty 
is  reached,  and  the  forms  produced  may  be 
used  for  other  purposes.      The  child  may  pro- 


Fig.    19.  Fig.   20. 

In  the  working  with  peas,  the  wires  represent 
edges,  the  peas  serve  as  corners,  and  these 
skeleton  bodies  are  so  much  more  instructive, 
as  they  allow  the  observation  of  the  outer 
forms  in  their  outlines  and  the  inner  structure 
and  being  of  the  body,  at  the  same  time. 
The  child  unites  two  equilateral  triangles  by 


266 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


three  equally  long  wires,  and  forms  thereby  a 
prism,  (Fig.  13)  ;  four  equilateral  triangles, 
give  the  three-sided  pyramid  ;  eight  of  them, 
the  octahedron.      (Figs.  14  and  15). 

From  two  equal  squares,  united  by  four 
wires  of  the  length  of  the  sides,  the  skeleton 
cube,  Fig.  16,  is  formed;  if  the  uniting  wires 
are  longer  than  the  sides  of  the  square,  the 
four-sided  column  (Fig.  17);  if  one  of  the 
squares  is  larger  than  the  other,  a  topless  pyra- 
mid will  be  produced,  etc.  Fig.  18,  shows  a 
combination  of  cubes. 

It  is  hardly  possible  that  pupils  of  the 
Kindergarten  should  make    any    further  prog- 


Fig.  21. 
ress  in  the  formation  of  these  mathematical 
forms  of  crystallization,  as  the  representation 
of  the  many-sided  bodies,  and  especially  this 
development  of  one  from  another,  requires 
greater  care  and  skill  than  should  be  expected 
at  such  an  early  period  of  life.  It  will  be  re- 
served for  the  primary,  and  even  a  higher 
grade  of  school,  to  proceed  farther  on  the  road 
indicated,  and  in  this  manner  prepare  the 
pupil  for  a  clear  understanding  of  regular 
bodies. 

This,  however,  does  not  exclude  the  con- 
struction by  the  more  advanced  pupils  of  the 
kindergarten,  of  simple  objects,  in  their  sur- 
roundings, such  as  benches,  (Fig.  19),  chairs, 
(Fig.  20),  baskets,  etc.,  or  to  try  to  invent 
other  objects. 


"Whoever  has  himself  tried  peas- work,  will  be 
convinced  of  its  utility.  Great  care,  and  much 
patience,  are  needed  to  produce  a  somewhat 
complicated  object ;  but  a  successful  structure 
repays  the  child  for  all  painstaking  and  per- 
severance. By  this  exercise,  the  pupils  im- 
prove in  readiness  of  construction,  and  this  is 
an  important  preparation  for  organization. 

More  advanced  pupils  try  also,  successfully, 
to  construct  letters  and  numerals,  with  the 
material  of  this  gift. 


Fig.  22. 
The  bodies  produced  by  peas  work  may  be 
used  as  models  in  the  modeling  department. 
The  one  occupation  is  the  complement  of  the 
other.  The  skeleton  cube  allows  the  observa- 
tion of  the  qualities  of  the  solid  cube,  in 
greater  distinctness.  The  image  of  the  body 
becomes  in  this  manner  more  perfect  and  clear, 
and  above  all,  the  child  is  led  upon  the  road, 
on  which  alone  he  is  enabled  to  come  into 
possession  of  a  true  knowledge  and  correct 
estimate  of  tilings  ;  the  road  on  which  he  learns, 
not  only  to  observe  the  external  appearance 
of  things,  but  in  the  meantime,  and  always 
to  look  at  their  internal  being. 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


The  outline  solids  made  in  the  peas  work 
are  merely  the  forerunners  of  the  wire  models 
now  so  highly  prized  by  all  teachers  of  draw- 
ing, in  illustrating  the  elementary  principles  of 
perception.  As  the  more  elaborate  forms  can 
only  be  made  by  the  more  advanced  pupils  of 
the  kindergarten,  they  may  be  rendered  valu- 
able in  imparting  these  same  principles  to  the 


kindergarten  pupils  in  their  drawing  exercises, 
even  though  these  pupils  are  not  able  to  very 
correctly  represent  the  forms  in  their  drawing. 

Various  substitutes  for  soaked  peas  have 
been  suggested  and  tried,  as  cork  cubes  and 
clay  pellets  used  while  soft,  but  still  good  peas 
are  visually  preferred. 

Instead  of  wire,  thin,  round  sticks  are  used, 


PARADISE  OF    CHILDHOOD. 


267 


which,  when  sharpened  at  the  ends,  are  not  so 
liable  to  split  the  peas. 

In  the  first  lesson  give  one  dry  pea  and  ask 
the  children  to  tell  you  of  other  tilings  which  are 
of  the  same  shape.  Lead  them  back  to  the 
ball  and  develop  various  exercises  which  will 
recall  the  Ideas  of  movability, smoothness,  hard- 
ness, roundness  and  dryness,  then  give  each 
child  a  pea  which  has  been  soaked  in  water, 
and  lead  the  class  to  a  comparison  of  size  and 
hardness. 

Call  attention  to  the  crease  which  divides 
the  pea  into  halves,  and  show  how  readily  the 
outer  covering  may  be  taken  off.  Give  a  talk 
on  peas,  how  they  are  planted, how  they  sleep, 
are  fed  and  watered,  how  they  are  awakened, 
drawing  out  the  ideas  of  the  children  by  va- 
rious questions.  Have  them  lay  designs  with 
peas   in  the  sand  or  on  the  peg  boards.      Let 


them  outline  walks  and  flower  beds,  with  stars 
crosses  and  crescents  in  them. 

After  the  pea  has  been  carefully  studied  give 
the  children  a  stick  and  let  them  put  a  pea  on 
one  end  of  it,  telling  what  they  have  made, 
then  one  on  the  other  end,  letting  them  always 
name  and  use  what  they  make. 

When  the  children  are  ready  add  more  sticks 
and  peas,  and  as  nearly  all  things  made  are 
built  on  geometric  forms  it  is  well  that  the 
pupils  should  first  learn  to  make  the  square, 
oblong  and  triangle,  then  they  will  be  able  to 
construct  many  objects. 

Numberless  life  forms  may  be  built  from 
this  gift,  as  a  garden  with  the  various  imple- 
ments, or  a  house  and  many  pieces  of  furni- 
ture, the  children  feeling  amply  rewarded  in 
the  results  for  the  care  and  patience  needed 
to  construct  these  articles. 


THE  TWENTIETH  GIFT. 

MATERIAL  FOR  MODELING. 


Modeling,  or  working  in  clay,  held  in  high 
estimation  by  Froebel,  as  an  essential  part  of 
the  whole  of  his  means  of  education  is,  strange 
to  say,  much  neglected  in  the  Kindergarten. 
As  the  main  objection  to  it  named  is  that  the 
children  even  with  the  greatest  care,  cannot 
prevent  occasionally  soiling  their  hands  and 
their  clothes.  Others,  again  believe  that  an 
occupation,  directly  preparing  for  art,  very 
rarely  can  be  continued  in  life.  They  call  it 
therefore,  aimless  pastime  without  favorable 
consequences,  either  for  internal  development 
or  external  happiness. 

If  it  must  be  admitted,  that  the  soiling  of 
the  hands  and  clothing  cannot  always  be 
avoided,  we  hold  that  for  this  very  reason, 
this  occupation  is  a  capital  one,  foritwill  give 
an  opportunity  to  accustom  the  children  to 
care,  order  and  cleanliness,  provided  the 
teacher  herself  takes  care  to  develop  the  sense 
of  the  pupils,  for  these  virtues,  in  connection 
with  this  occupation ;  as  on  all  other  oc- 
casions, she  should  strive  to  excite  the  sense 
of  cleanliness  as  well  as  purity.  Certainly, 
parts  of  the  adhesive  clay  will  stick  to  the  little 
lingers  and  nails  of  the  children,  and  their 
wooden  knives,  but,  pray,  what  harm  can 
grow  out  of  this?  The  child  may  learn  even 
from  this  fact.  It  may  be  remarked  in  con- 
nection with  it,  that  the  callous  hand  of  the 
husbandman,  the  dirty  blouse  of  the  mechanic, 
only  show  the  occupation,  and  cannot  take 
aught  from  the  inner  worth  of  a  man.  As  re- 
gards the  objection  to  this  occupation  as  aim- 
less and  without  result,  it  should  be  considered 
that  occupation  with  the  beautiful,  even  in  its 
crudest  beginnings,  always  bears  good  fruit, 
because  it  prepares  the  individual  for  a  true 
appreciation  and  noble  enjoyment  of  the  same. 
Jus1  in  this  the  significance  of  Frcebel's  educa- 
tional idea  partly  rests,  that  it  strives  to  open 
every  human  heart  for  the  beautiful  and  good 
— that  it  particularly  is  intended  to  elevate  the 
social  position  of  the  laboring  classes,  by  meaus 
of  education  not  only  in  regard  to  knowledge 
and  skill,  but  also,  in  regard  to  development 
of  refinement  and  feeling. 

Representing,  imitating,  creating,  or  trans- 
forming   in  general,  is  the  child's  greatest  en- 


joyment. Bread-crumbs  are  modeled  by  him 
into  balls,  or  objects  of  more  complicated  form, 
and  even  when  biting  bits  from  his  cooky,  it 
is  the  child's  desire  to  produce  form.  If  a 
piece  of  wax,  putty  or  other  pliable  matter, 
falls  into  his  hands,  it  is  kneaded  until  it  as- 
sumes a  form,  of  which  they  may  assert  that 
it  I'epresents  a  baby, — the  dog  Roamer,  or 
what  not  !  Wet  sand,  they  press  into  their 
little  cooking  utensils,  when  playing  "■house- 
keeping," and  pass  off  the  forms  as  puddings, 
tarts,  etc  ;  in  one  word  most  children  are  born 
sculptors.  Could  this  fact  have  escaped  Froe- 
bel's  keen  observation?  He  has  provided  the 
means  to  satisfy  this  desire  of  the  child,  to  de- 
velop also  this  talent  in  its  very  awakening. 

According  to  Froebel's  principle,  the  first 
exercises  in  modeling  are  representation  of  the 
fourteen  stereometric  fundamental  forms  of 
crystallization,  which  he  presents  in  a  box,  by 
themselves,  as  models.  Starting  from  the  cube 
the  cylinder  follows — then  the  sphere,  pyramid 
with  three,  four  and  six  sides,  the  prism  in  its 
various  formations  of  planes,  the  octahedron 
or  decahedron  and  cosahedron,  or  bodies  with 
eight,  twelve  and  twenty  equal  sides  or  faces, 
etc.  However  interesting  and  instructive  this 
course  may  be,  we  prefer  to  begin  with  some- 
what simpler  performances,  leaving  this  branch 
of  this  department  for  future  time. 

The  child  receives  a  small  quantity  of  clay, 
(wax  may  also  be  used),  a  wooden  knife,  a 
small  board,  and  a  piece  of  oiled  paper,  on 
which  he  performs  the  work.  If  clay  is  used, 
this  material  should  be  kept  in  wet  rags,  in  a 
cool  place,  and  the  object  formed  of  it,  dried 
in  the  sun,  or  in  a  mildly- heated  stove,  and 
then  coated  with  gum  arable,  or  varnish,  which 
gives  them  the  appearance  of  crockery. 

First  the  child  forms  a  sphere,  from  which 
he  may  produce  many  objects.  If  he  attaches 
a  stem  to  it,  it  is  a  cherry ;  if  he  adds  depres- 
sions and  elevations,  which  represent  the  dried 
calyx,  it  will  look  like  an  apple  ;  from  it  the 
pear,  nut,  potato,  a  head,  may  be  molded, 
etc.  Many  small  balls  made  to  adhere  to 
one  another,  may  produce  a  bunch  of  grapes, 
(Figs.  1-5). 

From  the  ball  or  sphere,  a  cylindrical  body 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


269 


may  be  formed,  (Fig.  6),   by  rolling  on  the    resents  it  easily,  if  perhaps  not  exactly  true. 


board,  usually  called  by  the  children  a  loaf  of 
bread,  a  caudle,  loaf  of  sugar,  etc. 

A  bottle,  (Fig.  8),  a  bag,  (Fig.  9),  filled 
with  flour  or  something  else,  can  also  easily  be 
produced. 


Fig.   1.  II     Fig.  2. 

Very   soon  the    child  will    present   the 

cube,  (Fig.  11 ),  an  old  acquaintance  and  Pa- 
rnate. From  it,  he  produces  a  house,  a  box,  a 
coffee  mill  and  similar  things.  Soon  other  fonns 
of  life  will  grow  intoexistence,as  plates, dishes, 


Fig.   4.  Fig.  5. 

animals  and  human  beings,  houses,  churches, 
birds'  nests,  etc.  If  this  occupation  is  intended 
to  be  more  than  mere  entertainment,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  guide  the  activity  of  the  child  in  a  de- 
finite direction. 


Fig.  6.  Fig.  7.  Fig.  8. 

The  best  direction  to  be  followed  in  Free- 
bel's  occupations  is  that  for  the  development 
of  regular  forms  of  bodies.  The  fundamental 
form,  of  course,  is  the  sphere.  The  child  rep- 


By  pressing  and  assisted  by  his  knife,  the 
one  plane  of  the  sphere  is  changed  to  several 
planes,  corners,  and  edges,  which  produces  the 
cube.  If  the  child  chauges  its  corners  to 
planes  (indicated  in  Fig.  12),  a  form  of  four- 
teen sides  is  produced.  If  this  process  is  con- 
tinued  so   that   the  .planes  of   the  cube  are 


Fis.  9. 


Fis. 


changed  to  corners,  the  octahedren  is  the  result, 
(Fig.  13).  By  continued  change  of  edges  to 
planes  aud  of  planes  to  corners,  the  most  im- 
portant regular  forms  of  crystallization  will  be 
produced,  which  occupation,  however,  as  men- 
tioned before,  belougs  rather  to  a  higher  grade 
of  school,  and  is,  therefore,  better  postponed 
until  after  the  Kindergarten  training. 

Some  regular  bodies  are  more  easily  formed 
from  the  cylinder,  the  mediation  between  the 


Fig.   11. 

sphere  and  cube.  By  a  pressure  of  the  hand? 
or  by  means  of  his  knife,  the  child  changes  the 
one  round  plane  to  three  or  four  planes,  and 
as  many  edges,  producing  thereby  the  prism 
and  the  four-sided  column. 

If  Ave  reduce  the  circular  surface  of  one  end 
of  the  cylinder  to  a  point  at  its  center,  and 
connect  this  point  with  the  circumference  of  the 
other  end  with  a  curved  surface,  we  have  a 
cone.      If  we  change  this  new  conical  surface 


270 


QUARTER  CENTURY  EDITION 


to  a  number  of  plane  triangles  we  shall  have 
for  a  base  a  polygon  and  the  curved  surface 
reduced  to  several  triaugles.  If  we  act  in  the 
same  manner  with  the  other  end  of  the  cylin- 
der, we  may  form  a  double  cone,  and  from  it 
we  may  produce  a  double  pyramid.  If  again 
we  take  the  cylinder  and  change  its  circular 
edges  to  a  definite  number  of  planes,  we  again 
have  the  sphere. 


n^\ 


,A 


V 


Fig.  12.  Fig.  13. 

Well  formed  specimens  may,  to  acquire 
greater  durability,  be  treated  as  indicated  pre- 
viously. The  production  of  forms  and  figures 
from  soft  and  pliable  material  belongs,  un- 
doubtedly, to  the  earliest  and  most  natural 
occupations  of  the  human  race,  and  has  served 
all  plastic  arts  as  a  starting-point.  The  occu- 
pation of  modeling,  then,  is  eminently  fit  to 
carry  into  practice  FroebePs  idea  that  children, 
in  their  occupations,  have  to  pass  through  all 
the  general  grades  of  development  of  human 
culture  in  a  diminished  scale.  The  natural 
talent  of  the  future  architect  or  sculptor,  lying- 
dormant  in  the  child, must  needs  be  called  forth 
and  developed  by  this  occupation,  as  by  a  self- 
acting  and  inventing  construction  and  forma- 
tion, all  innate  talents  of  the  child  are  made 
to  grow  into  visible  reality. 


If  we  now  cast  a  retrospective  look  upon 
the  means  of  occupation  in  the  Kindergarten 
we  find  that  the  material  progresses  from  the 
solid  and  whole,  in  gradual  steps  to  its  parte, 
until  it  arrives  at  the  image  upon  the  plane, 
and  its  conditions  as  to  line  and  point.  For 
the  heavy  material,  fit  only  to  be  placed  upon 
the  table  in  unchanged  form  (the  building- 
blocks),  a  more  flexible  one  is  substituted  in 
the  following  occupations  :  Wood  is  replaced 
by  paper.  The  paper  plane  of  the  folding  occu- 
pation, is  replaced  by  the  paper  strip  of  the 
weaving  occupation,  as  line.  The  wooden 
stick,  or  very  thin  wire,  is  then  introduced  for 


the  purpose  of  executing  permanent  figures  in 
connection  with  peas,  representing  the  point. 
In  place  of  this  material  the  drawn  line  then 
appears,  to  which  colors  are  added.  Perforat- 
ing and  embroidering  introduces  another 
addition  to  the  material  to  create  the  images 
of  fantasy,  which,  in  the  paper  cutting  and 
mounting,  again  receive  new  elements. 

The  modeling  in  clay,  or  wax,  affords  the 
immediate  plastic  artistic  occupation,  with  the 
most  pliable  material  for  the  hand  of  the  child. 
Song  introduces  into  the  realm  of  sound,  when 
movement  plays,  gymnastics  and  dancing,  help 
to  educate  the  body,  and  insure  a  harmonious 
development  of  all  its  parts.  In  practicing 
the  technical  manual  performances  of  the 
mechanic,  such  as  boring,  piercing,  cutting, 
measuring,  uniting,  forming,  drawing,  paint- 
ing and  modeling,  a  foundation  of  all  future 
occupation  of  artisan  and  artist — synonymous 
in  past  centuries — is  laid.  For  ornamentation 
especially,  all  elements  are  found  in  the  occu- 
pations of  the  Kindergarten.  The  forms  of 
beauty  in  the  paper-folding,  serve  as  series 
of  rosettes  and  ornaments  in  relief,  as  archi- 
tecture might  employ  them,  without  change. 
The  productions  in  the  braiding  department 
contain  all  conditions  of  artistic  weaving,  nor 
does  the  cutting  of  figures  fail  to  afford  richest 
material  for  ornamentation  of  various  kinds. 

For  every  talent  in  man  means  of  develop- 
ment are  provided  in  the  Kindergarten  ma- 
terial, opportunity  for  practice  is  constantly 
given,  and  each  direction  of  the  mind  finds  its 
starting-point  in  concrete  things.  No  more 
complete  satisfaction,  therefore  can  be  given 
to  the  claim  of  modem  pedagogism,  that  all 
ideas  should  be  founded  on  previous  percep- 
tion derived  from  real  objects,  than  is  done  in 
the  genuine  Kindergarten. 

Whosoever  has  acquired  even  a  superficial 
idea  only  of  the  significance  of  FroebePs 
means  of  occupation  in  the  Kindergarten, 
will  be  ready  to  admit  that  the  ordinary  play- 
things of  children  cannot,  by  any  means,  as 
regards  their  usefulness,  be  compared  with 
the  occupation  material  in  the  Kindergarten. 
That  the  former  may,  in  a  certain  degree,  be 
made  helpful  in  the  development  of  children, 
is  not  denied ;  occasional  good  results  with 
them,  however,  most  always  will  be  found  to 
be  owing  to  the  child's  owu  instinct  rather 
thau  to  the  nature  of  the  toy.     Planless  play- 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


271 


ing,  without  guidance  and  supervision,  cannot 
prepare  a  child  for  the  earnest  side  of  life  as 
well  as  for  the  enjoyment  of  its  harmless 
amusements  and  pleasures.  Like  the  plant, 
which,  in  the  wilderness  even,  draws  from  the 
soil  its  nutrition,  so  the  child's  mind  draws 
from  its  surroundings  and  the  means,  placed 
at  its  command,  its  educational  food.  But 
the  rosebush,  nursed  and  cared  for  in  the 
garden  by  the  skillful  horticulturist  produces 
flowers,  far  more  perfect  and  beautiful  than 
the  wild  growing  sweet  briar.  Without  care 
neither  mind  nor  body  of  the  child  can  be  ex- 
pected to  prosper.  As  the  latter  cannot,  for 
a  healthful  development,  use  all  kinds  of  food 
without  careful  selection,  so  the  mind  for  its 
higher  cultivation  requires  a  still  more  careful 
choice  of  the  means  for  its  development.  The 
child's  free  choice  is  limited  only  in  so  far  as 
it  is  necessary  to  limit  the  amount  of  oc- 
cupation material  in  order  to  fit  him  for  sys- 
tematic application.  The  child  will  find  instinc- 
tively all  that  is  requisite  for  his  mental 
growth. if  the  proper  material  only  be  presented 
and  a  guiding  mind  indicate  its    most  appro- 


priate use  in  accordance  with   a  certain  law. 

Froebel's  genius  has  admirably  succeeded  in 
inventing  the  proper  material  as  well  as  in 
pointing  out  its  most  successful  application  to 
prepare  the  child  for  all  situations  in  future 
life,  for  all  branches  of  occupation  in  the  use- 
ful pursuits  of  mankind. 

When  the  Kindergarten  was  first  established 
by  him,  it  was  prohibited  in  its  original  form 
and  its  inventor  driven  from  place  to  place  in 
his  fatherland  on  account  of  his  liberal  educa- 
tional principles,  which  he  wanted  to  have  car- 
ried out  in  the  Kindergarten.  The  keen  eye  of 
monarchial  government  officials  quickly  saw 
that  such  institutions  could  not  turn  out  will- 
ing subjects  to  tyrannical  oppression,  and  the 
rulers  "by  the  grace  of  God"  tolerated  the  Kin- 
dergarten, only  when  public  opinion  declared 
too   strongly  in  its  favor. 

In  pleading  the  cause  of  the  Kindergarten 
on  the  soil  of  republican  America,  is  it  asking 
too  much  that  all  may  help  in  extending  to 
the  future  generation  the  benefits  which  may 
be  derived  from  an  institution  so  eminently 
fit  to  educate  free  citizens  of  a  free   country? 


EDITOR'S  NOTES. 


Iu  accordance  with  the  general  scheme  of 
this  book  the  few  simple  illustrations  accom- 
panying the  text  of  the  origiual  edition  are 
reproduced.  Owing  to  the  influence  of  the  kin- 
dergarten the  advance  in  educational  thought 
in  America  during  the  past  thirty-five  years, 
has  been  so  great  that  no  argument  is  now  nec- 
essary to  convince  progressive  teachers  that 
clay  modeling  should  have  a  prominent  place 
in  primary  instruction,  and  with  the  promotion 
of  this  occupation  to  the  high  place  which  it  holds 
in  the  modern  kindergarten,  has  come  the  pub- 
lication of  suggestions  and  instructions  for  this 
work  which  are  of  great  value,  and  are  given 
more  in  detail  than  the  space  in  this  book  will 
allow.  Among  these  excellent  hand-books 
perhaps  none  holds  a  higher  place  than  "Clay 
Modeling  in  the  Schoolroom"  by  Ellen  Stephen 
Hildreth,  who  is  a  practical  kindergartner  and 
therefore  handles  her  subject  strictly  according 
to  kindergarten  principles,  although  the  work  is 
carried  somewhat  further  than  may  be  possible 
during  the  kindergarten  years.  The  methods 
of  this  author,  as  shown  in  an  exhibit  of  kin- 
dergarten work  sent  from  St.  Louis  to  the  Paris 


Exposition  and  afterward  presented  to  Madam 
Marenholtz  Von  Bulow,  received  her  unquali- 
fied endorsement  which  was  expressed  in  a  letter 
to  Mrs.  Hildreth  at  the  time.  In  the  opening 
sentences  of  the  first  chapter  of  "Clay  Model- 
ing in  the  Schoolroom"  the  author  says  : — 

"Modeling  in  clay  is  valuable  educationally 
because  it  enables  us  to  comprehend  and  re- 


Fig.   14. 
produce  ideas  of  form.     With  such  knowledge 
we  convert  raw  material  to  our  use.      It  is  also 
valuable  as  a  stimulus  to  observation,  develop- 
ing through  reproduction  the  faculties  of  class- 


272 


QUARTER   CENTURY  EDITION 


ification  and  generalization. 

ing  deals  with  universal  type 
fied,  blended  and  combined, 
the  curved  solids,  and  in  the 
a  definite  method  is  given  by 
may  utilize  modeling  in  the 
mind,  at  an  age  when  sense 
strongest." 


The  art  of  model- 

s  of  form,   modi- 

These  types  are 

following  pages 

which  educators 

discipline  of  the 

impressions  are 


Fig.   15. 
In    accordance    with  a  definite  scheme  the 
lessons  are  based  on  seven  geometrical  forms, 
the  Sphere,  Oblate  Spheroid,  Prolate  Spheroid, 


Ovoid,  Cone,  Cylinder,  and  Cube  in  the  order 

named,  which  are  designated  as  Normal  Types. 

This  general  classification  is  subdivided  into 


The  second  Normal  Type  in  this  series  is  the 
Hemisphere.  Typical  objects,  toadstool,  Fig. 
17,  Nelly  Bly  cap,  Fig.  18. 

The  third  Normal  Type,  is  a  Circle.  Typi- 
cal objects,  sewing-basket,  Fig.  19,  bird's- 
nest,  Fig.  20. 

A  similar  series  is  based  on  each  of  the 
above-named  seven  geometrical  forms,  and  ex- 
plicit instructions  given  for  the  treatment  of 


Fig.   18. 

each  subject,  with  illustrations  so  that  other 
forms  and  other  typical  objects  can  be  handled 
intelligently  from  the  directions  furnished.  For 
material  the  best  artist's  clay  is  most  desirable 
and  can  be  obtained  from  all  dealers  in  kin- 
dergarten material  or  from  potteries, if  near  at 


Fig.    19. 

hand.  In  such  case  ask  for  unmixed, washed 
clay.  Clay  prepared  for  firing  is  usually  unfit 
for  modeling.  Mrs.  Hildreth's  instructions  for 
preparing  the  clay  are  as  follows  : — 

"If  the  clay  is  dry,  in  lumps  or  powder,  tie 
it  up  in  a  large  cloth,  as  if  it  were  a  pudding. 
Place  the  cloth  full  of  clay  in  a  vessel,  and  pour 


Fig.   20. 
in  water  enough  to  cover  the  clay.    After  one  or 
two  hour's  immersion  take  out  the  cloth  full  of 
Fig.   17.  clay,  and,  without  untying,  knead  thoroughly 

several  series, one  for  each  Normal  Type.  In  the  until  the  mass  seems  plastic,  and  perfectly  free 
first  series, the  first  Normal  Type  is  the  Sphere,  from  lumps.  Open  the  cloth  and  examine  it 
and  the  typical  objects  are  sugar-bowl,  F\g.  14,  from  time  to  time  while  kneading  it.  If  too 
lunch-basket  Fig.  15,  and  globe  fish,   Fig.  10.    wet  allow  it  to  dry  off,  if  too  dry  return  to  the 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


273 


water.  When  properly  kneaded  it  will  have  a 
springy  feeling  under  the  lingers,  and  when 
rubbed  smooth  will  glisten  as  if  oily.  It  must 
not  be  wet  enough  to  be  sticky,  or  dry  enough 
to  feel  hard  to  the  touch.  A  little  practice  will 
enable  the  teacher  to  tell  when  it  is  just  right. 
When  worked  into  an  elastic  mass,  replace  in 
the  empty  pail  the  clay  which  is  still  in  the 
cloth,  and  cover  with  several  other  folds  of  wet 


C 


Fig.   21. 

cloth.  This  keeps  it  in  good  condition.  After 
each  exercise  any  remnants  or  broken  objects 
from  previous  exercises  may  be  thoroughly  wet 
and  replaced  in  the  cloth,  at  one  side,  in  order 
that  they  may  be  softened  and  re-kneaded.  In 
this  way  no  clay  is  wasted." 

The  clay  as  sold  is  usually  in  five  pound,  dry 
or  six  pound  moist  bricks,  or  in  a  powder. 
The  most  convenient  form  is  dust-tight  paper 
boxes  of  powder  containing  five  pounds  each. 

Artists  in  plastic  materials  use  a  great  variety 


of  fine  box-wood  modeling  tools,  but  these  are 
not  necessary  for  elementary  work,  although  a 
few  simple  tools  or  knives  are  quite  desirable, 
and  Figs.  21  and  22  illustrate  two  which 
seem  to  cover  in  very  simple  forms  the  princi- 
pal requisites. 


\ 


Fig.    22. 

Fig.  21  is  a  spatula  or  knife  with  a  blade 
sharpened  on  both  edges  and  rounded  on  the 
end,  and  a  handle  terminating  in  a  point  which 
is  very  useful  in  many  operations. 

Fig.  22  is  somewhat  similar  in  shape  but 
provided  at  the  blade-end  with  a  serrated  edge 
for  leveling  down  a  flat  surface  of  clay  when 
it  is  required  for  a  base  or  other  purpose. 

In  this  tool  the  end  of  the  handle  is  formed 
to  a  blunt  rounded  point  which  is  very  useful  in 
many  cases.  Each  of  these  tools  is  about  six 
inches  long  and  with  them  a  very  large  variety  of 
work  can  be  done  successfully 


THE  KINDERGATEX  GAMES. 


In  the  whole  world  of  nature  nothing  de- 
velops without  activity,  consequently  play  or 
the  exercising  of  the  child's  activity  is  the  first 
means  of  development  of  the  human  mind,  the 
means  by  which  the  child  is  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  outer  world  and  his  own  pow- 
ers of  body  and  mind.  Watching  the  play  of 
children  Froebel  found  it  was  a  spontaneous 
God-given  activity,  by  which  they  were  surely 
but  unconsciously  educating  themselves, getting 
their  first  knowledge  of  duty  and  the  truths  of 
life  through  play.  The  games  which  are  the 
organized  plays,  and  the  very  life  of  the  kin- 
dergarten,give  the  child  the  means  of  expression 
through  the  activities  of  the  body,  so  that  he 
can  reproduce  his  individual  life,  for  while  in 
the  occupations  and  gifts  the  children  reproduce 
witli  their  hands,  in  the  games  they  enter  into 
the  life  and  act  out  what  they  wish  to  repre- 
sent and  for  the  time  being  are  really  these 
things,  whether  it  be  birds,  trees,  flowers,  stars 
or  water,  thus  developing  and  cultivating  the 
imagination. 

,  Every  way  which  exists  of  expressing  the 
inner  life  through  the  outer  enriches  us,   and 


in  the  games  the  child  gives  forth  freely  all 
which  he  has  taken  in,  and  having  thus  made  the 
unity  which  he  sees  and  comprehends  he  be- 
comes fully  conscious  of  it, and  his  whole  life, 
inner  and  outer,  is  lifted  to  a  higher  plane.  By 
means  of  the  directed  games  the  surplus  energy 
of  the  child  may  be  guided,  the  basis  for  study 
laid  and  the  foundation  principles  in  chemistry, 
physics,  geometry,  construction  and  design  fur- 
nished, thus  utilizing  his  activities  for  an 
educational  purpose. 

The  community  spirit  is  fostered  as  the  child 
finds  he  is  only  one  of  many,  aud  that  each  one 
has  his  part  to  do  to  make  the  many  happy  aud 
useful.  It  is  also  an  aid  to  self-government, 
for  through  play  he  learns  that  certain  effects 
follow  certain  causes,  and  in  all  that  he  does 
the  child  feels  constant  freedom  under  law  and 
soon  finds  the  closer  he  follows  the  law  the 
more  freedom  he  has.  Thus  the  will  of  the  child 
is  guided  and  strengthened,  and  principles  of 
justice,  honesty  and  kindness  are  inculcated. 

The  games  representing  the  trades  show 
ideas  of  labor  and  trade  and  our  dependence 
upon  them.      The  child  is  in  turn  a  shoemaker, 


274 


PARADISE  OF  CHILDHOOD. 


a  farmer,  a  baker,  a  blacksmith,  and  is  thus 
brought  into  relations  with  the  universal  ac- 
tivities of  the  race  and  gains  a  respect  for 
those  who  do  in  reality  what  he  does  in  play. 
Such  play  broadens  a  child's  view  of  life  and 
creates  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  lives  of 
many  classes  of  workers,  as  he  sees  the  skill, 
patience,  and  perseverance  required  on  the 
part  of  these  workers.  Thus  the  intellectual 
nature  is  strengthened  and  developed  and  also 
the  physical,  as  the  games  exercise  and  give 
more  perfect  control  of  the  body,  as  well  as 
grace  and  directness  of  movement.  The  physi- 
cal being  is  brought  into  activity,  different  sets 
of  muscles  being  constantly  used,  until  all 
parts  of  the  body  are  engaged  in  active  play. 
Children  need  to  be  free  in  thought  and  action, 
and  as  the  child  imitates  the  activities  about 
him  his  environment  cannot  be  overrated.  We 
should  gain  the  same  freedom  in  our  bodies  to 
express  clearly  and  simply  the  more  mature 
ideas  in  our  minds,  so  that  we  may  always 
meet  the  little  child  on  his  own  plane  and  from 
there  lead  him  step  by  step  to  clearer  sight  and 
appreciation  of  the  laws  we  wish  to  teach. 

Through  the  dramatic  representation  of  sun, 
moon  and  stars  and  all  plant  and  animal  life 
the  child  is  brought  into  sympathy  and  acquaint- 
ance with  nature,  and  what  he  imitates  he  learns 
to  understand  and  love.  Thus  nature  grows 
dearer  and  the  child's  conception  of  all  these 
newly-made  friends  more  beautiful  and  vivid, 
awakening  in  him  a  spiritual  truth  which  leads 
him  to  trace  all  life  back  to  its  source,  making 
this  the  means  of  spiritual  culture.  There  is 
nothing  that  cannot  be  made  real  to  the  child 
through  games,  and  any  truth  may  be  impressed 
upon  him  that  is  a  vital  and  necessary  one. 

When  the  time  for  the  games  arrives  the  chil- 
dren sit  with  folded  hands  listening  for  a  chord 
from  the  piano,  which  is  a  signal  to  stand. 
Another  chord  is  struck  and  the  children  see 
how  quietly  they  can  put  their  chairs  up  to  the 
table.  Still  another  chord,  and  they  turn  and 
form  in  marching  line,  singing  a  simple  melody, 
as  : — 

"We'll  march  and  march  and  march  around. 
And  marching  gaily  sing,"  etc., 

until  they  are  in  good  line,  then  joining  hands 
sing  :— 

"  This  Is  the  way  that  we  form  our  ring, 

Tra  la  la  la  tra  la  la  la. 
Working  together  we  gaily  sing, 
Tra  la  la  la  la  la. 


Each  little  pair  of  children's  feet 
May  help  us  to  make  our  ring  complete. 
So  this  is  the  way  that  we  form  our  ring, 
Tra  la  la  la  la  la." 

— Song  Storiesi)i  the  Kindergarten. 

Thus  au  unbroken  circle  is  formed  which  has 
its  ethical  significance  in  the  fact  that  no  indi 
vidual  is  more  prominent  than  another,  is  but  a 
part  of  a  perfect  whole,  yet  is  responsible  in 
himself  for  that  whole.  This  song  may  be 
followed  by  another,  as  :  — 

"  See  the  children  on  our  ring. 
Joining  in  our  song ; 
They  together  form  our  ring, 
Standing  straight  and  strong." 

— Song  Stories  in  the  Kindergarten. 

Then  the  kindergartner  advances  to  the  cen- 
ter of  the  circle,  or  bows  to  some  child  to  do  so, 
while  all  sing  : — 

"  Let  us  look  at 


Si.  happy  and  gay. 
Let  us  look  at 


What  does'she  now  play?" 

The  child  in  the  center  then  imitates  by  ges- 
ture the  game  she  desires  to  play,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  play  she  chooses  another  child  to 
take  her  place  in  the  center  of  the  circle,  and 
so  on,  each  new  leader  upon  her  entrance  to  the 
center  being  greeted  with  the  above  song. 

This  is  but  a  simple  illustration  of  one  way  of 
opening  the  games  and  should  not  be  followed 
literally,  but  be  subject  to  the  individu- 
ality of  the  teacher.  The  games  should  re- 
flect the  prevailing  thought  of  the  day  or  week 
or  season  of  the  year,  and  the  children  should 
be  made  familiar  with  the  life  and  work  of  the 
things  they  represent  by  means  of  pictures  and 
talks  and  they  will  readily  give  spontaneous  ex- 
pression to  their  conceptions  of  the  subject. 
At  the  indication  of  the  slightest  disturbing 
element,  a  chord  from  the  piano  will  instantly 
change  the  children  into  animals,  birds,  or  a 
running  stream,  thus  expressing  nature  and 
restoring  harmony  at  once. 

Let  the  games  be  spontaneous,  merely  allow 
and  guide  the  play  spirit,  keeping  the  child  un- 
conscious by  making  the  thing  he  does  promi- 
nent and  not  the  child.  If  the  child  does  not 
choose  wisely,  by  questioning  and  careful  sug- 
gestions the  kindergartner  can  usually  get 
him  to  select  a  more  suitable  game,  and  all 
the  games  played  can  be  woven  into  a  whole 
which  gives  afeeling  of  unity  and  completeness. 


D   1137   01177bD   3 

Wheelock  College  Library 


41 


Wiebe. 
Paradise  of 
childhood . 


Wiebe . 
Paradise  of 
childhood . 


Stack  Collect 

372.21 
W63p 

1896 


Stack  Collection 

372.21 

W63p 
1896 


Wheelock  College  Library 

Boston,  Mass. 


DATE  DUE 

T_ 

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CAVLOHO 

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